Tyler: A Natural Beauty

TYLER 

A Natural Beauty 

Photography by Donna Cummings 

Narrative by William Knous 

A publication of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce

Thank you for your interest in this HPNbooks publication. For more information about other 

HPNbooks publications, or information about producing your own book with us, please visit www.hpnbooks.com.

TYLER 

A Natural Beauty 

Photography by Donna Cummings 

Narrative by William Knous 

A publication of the 

Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce 

HPNbooks 

A division of Lammert Incorporated 

San Antonio, Texas

The University of Texas at Tyler. 

First Edition 

Copyright © 2016 HPNbooks 

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, without permission in writing from 

the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to HPNbooks, 11535 Galm Road, Suite 101, San Antonio, Texas, 78254, (800) 749-9790, www.hpnbooks.com. 

ISBN: 978-1-944891-17-6 

Library of Congress Card Catalog Number: 2016951393 

Tyler: A Natural Beauty 

photographer: Donna Cummings 

author: William Knous 

designer: Glenda Tarazon Krouse 

contributing writers for Tyler partners: William Knous, Becca Nelson Sankey 

HPNbooks 

president: Ron Lammert 

project manager: Joe Bowman 

administration: Donna M. Mata, Melissa G. Quinn 

book sales: Joe Neely 

production: Colin Hart, Evelyn Hart, Tim Lippard, Chris Sturdevant 

TYLER: A Natural Beauty 

2

4 Introduction by Earl Campbell 

5 Introduction by William Knous 

6 Chapter 1 Building Blocks of the Past 

16 Chapter 2 Fueling A Dynamic Economy 

30 Chapter 3 Diverse and Fascinating Places 

50 Chapter 4 A Style All Its Own 

60 Chapter 5 Tyler People 

73 Tyler Partners 

126 About the Photographer 

127 About the Author 

128 About the Sponsors 

CONTENTS 

3

Introduction by Earl Campbell 

Earl Campbell. 

When I was growing up in Tyler, I spent many long, hot summer days on the practice field at 

John Tyler High School, putting in the work that would help take me to the top of Texas High 

School Football, to the Heisman Trophy and to the MVP of the National Football League. 

In Tyler, that kind of work is just what we do. It might be in the rose fields, on the football 

field or in the boardroom—that spirit of enterprise is part of who we are, and it carried me 

through my football career and into my life in business after the stadium lights were turned out. 

Football is very different today than when I played the game. There were simply not as many 

opportunities for players once their careers on the field were done. There is a question that every 

NFL player asks themselves when they finish: what is next? By combining my upbringing here, 

the lessons taught to me by my mother, the hard work I put in over the years and my passions, 

I was able to take a strong step into the future by starting my own successful business. 

There was an entrepreneurial spirit here in Tyler when I was growing up. It was there when 

I started my business, and it still persists today. Tyler continues to grow at an amazing rate, 

with the population expanding with folks who want to plant the flag here for their business. 

Tyler draws in talented and motivational professionals from across the state and around the 

country, people motivated to grow their business in a place that can offer an educated and active 

population, a thriving economy and a business-friendly climate. 

People are also making Tyler their home at an amazing rate. The award-winning schools, 

the institutions of higher education, the rich arts and entertainment culture, and the low cost 

of living—all centered in one of the most historic and beautiful parts of the country—has made 

Tyler the center of East Texas. 

All these things that make Tyler so appealing are the very same things that brought me and 

my family back here. Tyler is my hometown, and I have been blessed to see and be a part of why 

Tyler is such an incredible place—and it is why I still call it home today. 


4

Introduction byWilliam Knous 

The city of Tyler holds a unique place on the map of East Texas—and in the hearts of the 

people who call it home. It does not cover quite the spread of a big city and it is certainly larger 

than a small town, while proudly boasting the features of both. Across the skyline you can truly 

see the pillars of industry alongside the whitewashed columns adorning the facades of homes 

built more than a century ago, some with the original last name stenciled neatly above the door. 

And behind those doors, there is really no telling what you might find. There are oil and gas 

outposts who have been in East Texas since they first staked their claim a century ago. Behind 

others are some of the brightest minds in the country pushing the boundaries of technology, 

art and education. 

Simply put, Tyler, Texas is a beautiful and wonderful place to call home, to raise a family, to 

do business. Pastoral and progressive, down home and down to business, the people and the 

community they have built are a joyous mix of the traditional and modern. There are legacies and 

stories behind every door and around every corner. Young people are moving in to build 

their dreams from the ground up. Those who are established hold memories of life and commerce 

in East Texas that inform the choices made today. Tyler is a roiling mix of the past and the future, 

coming together and pushing one another further toward success and growth, day after day. 

Businesses that have been based here for more than a century are doubling down, opening 

new storefronts and offices. There are also fresh ventures that boast an array of technology on 

the cutting edge of sophistication and automation. There are educational institutions who, year 

after year, produce young men and women ready for the workforce with sharpened minds and 

qualified skill sets—for any of a host of industries to be found here. The people of Tyler are 

vibrant and committed to their communities, both small and large. You can see a play, attend a 

world-class exhibition at a museum, enjoy exquisite food and drink that is both local and wildly 

exotic—all while taking in the wonderfully breathtaking display that has been bestowed on Tyler 

by Mother Nature. 

Generations of East Texans have called Tyler home, leaving for school or service and then 

returning to plant their roots, establish their business and raise their family. And Tyler welcomes 

them all, new transplants, visitors and prodigal sons and daughters, alike. Because Tyler is a place 

for everyone, has a place for everyone—and it will for many generations to come. Tyler sits at an 

intersection of cultures and commerce, of progress and history, and that intersection happens to 

be a made of antebellum brick streets. 

INTRODUCTION 

5

Building Blocks of the Past 

If there was every any doubt about Tyler’s commitment to preserving its heritage 

and history as a focal point of life in Texas for more than a century, one must only 

open their front door and take a look around. Antebellum homes and farms dating 

back to the mid-nineteenth century dot the rolling hills around Tyler. Its historic 

downtown offers a glimpse back in time to the turn of the twentieth century. 

Organizations like Historic Tyler Inc., the East Texas Heritage Museum Association, 

the Smith County Historical Society and many others have made it their mission 

to preserve the culture and tradition of Tyler and its people. Monuments to the 

men and women who have given so much to Tyler’s proud legacy can be found 

spread across the city’s neighborhoods and businesses and school campuses. There 

are museums and exhibits dedicated to detailing the passage of time and what it 

has brought to the people of this historic city from a commercial, social and artistic 

perspective. Smith County was one of the first counties established by the very first 

Texas Legislature in 1846. In the center of the county, on a hilltop, an area of land 

named for president John Tyler was established as the county seat. Tyler has been 

home to a wide array of industries in its history; commerce serving as the lifeblood 

of the area. Beginning with a diverse agriculture industry that continues to this day 

in the form of farming and visitor-centered attractions like the Texas Rose Festival 

and the Azalea and Spring Flower Trail, Tyler has also been home to booming 

manufacturing facilities turning out everything from automobiles to ice, brick, and 

tile. Manpower was also a part of Tyler’s business history, as Camp Fannin trained 

thousands of troops for service in the Armed Forces. The 1930s brought a huge 

economic boom with the discovery of the East Texas oil fields, and the oil and gas 

industry is still a massive part of Tyler’s ongoing success. 


6

CHAPTER 

The city of Tyler is the county seat of Smith County; above is the Smith County Courthouse. 

The legal profession draws big business to Tyler and its courthouses. 

CHAPTER 1 

7


8

Camp Ford was the largest Civil War prison 

camp west of the Mississippi River. 

CHAPTER 1 

9

Above and opposite: The old Cotton Belt 

Train Depot has been restored for visitors. 


10

CHAPTER 1 

11

Top: Visitors come to Tyler every fall to enjoy the fine weather and foliage. 

Above: The Chilton-Lipstate-Taylor House historical marker. 

Opposite, top: The Tyler Woman’s Building in the historic Azalea District. 

Opposite, bottom: The Chilton-Lipstate-Taylor House in Tyler’s historic 

Azalea District. 


12

CHAPTER 1 

13

Above: Downtown Tyler is home to businesses new and old, the 

former Tyler Candle Company building is part of an apartment complex. 

Opposite: First Presbyterian Church of Tyler, in the Azalea District. 


14

CHAPTER 1 

15

Fueling A Dynamic Economy 

One constant throughout Tyler’s history has been its dedication to development 

and commerce. The city was founded in the middle of Smith County and centrally 

to the region as a whole, and that position has taken on a symbolic meaning for 

the business and cultural leaders here. From its earliest days, the founding fathers 

of Tyler have pushed for growth and expansion, industrially and commercially. 

Their foresight has been passed down to each successive generation of leadership 

in Tyler, resulting in a climate of entrepreneurship and excitement. People seek out 

and develop great ideas; they build companies from a dream and make them into 

reality. Tyler acts as a shining light to the surrounding region, drawing in bright 

minds and those who wish to make something more, to build something better. 

Locally, there is a spirit of adventure and enterprise, and a workforce to make it 

happen. International companies are drawn to Tyler to plant outposts and supply 

jobs. The city’s largest employers continually build and flourish, reinvesting in the 

community that supports them both spiritually and commercially. New construction 

of businesses and commercial properties is seemingly endless, with new ventures 

sprouting throughout the city. Older buildings are repurposed. New ones apply 

for a permit and reach up to the sky weekly. Tyler is growing as it has always 

done—sometimes gradually and sometimes rapidly—but always steadily. Tyler is 

the center of business for East Texas and a welcoming home to those share its spirit 

of improvement, advancement and progress 


16

CHAPTER 

The Tyler Rose Garden is a marvel of modern horticulture. 

The garden is one of Tyler's oldest and grandest locales. 

CHAPTER 2 

17


18 

The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce building at the corner 

of North Broadway Avenue and East Line Street.

CHAPTER 2 

19

The sun sets over the west side of 

the square in downtown Tyler. 


20

CHAPTER 2 

21


22

CHAPTER 2 

23

Above and opposite, top: Texas Spine & Joint Hospital attracts patients with top notch medical care. 

Below: Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics, based in Tyler, has been named among 

the country’s finest healthcare systems. 


24

CHAPTER 2 

25

East Texas Medical Center is one of Tyler’s largest employers. 

The medical community is bustling in Tyler. 


26

CHAPTER 2 

27


28

Above: Developments like The Market at the Crossing are popping up all over Tyler. 

New commercial endeavors incorporate Tyler’s natural beauty. 

Left: FRESH by Brookshires is where East Texans can shop, eat and enjoy the freshest and highest quality of everyday products. 

FRESH is also a leader in clean energy in Tyler. 

CHAPTER 2 

29

Diverse and Fascinating Places 

Popular restaurants like Mercado’s have lit up the Tyler sky for decades. 

One area that sets Tyler apart from many other cities 

across the United States is its bustling and historic 

downtown. Downtown Tyler is marked by distinctive red 

brick streets and original architecture dating back more 

than a century. There is food and drink, live music, 

international business, banking, cosmopolitan living 

spaces, and so much more to be found. Each building 

offers a unique snapshot to an era gone by, framed by new 

tenants who seek to preserve the integrity of the original 

creators while offering something new and fresh. 

Restaurants sit in meticulously preserved art-deco settings. 

The original wooden beams and wooden plank floors of 

beloved local hangouts remain steady and unchanged, 

despite the generations of Tylerites who have walked 

between them. There are businesses who first opened their 

doors in downtown Tyler and who still call it home. 


30

CHAPTER 

Anchors of the commercial community like banking, the 

county and federal courthouses, and oil and gas entities 

established downtown Tyler as a crossroads of commerce 

for East Texas, and have set a foundation for the new voices 

and dreams that will come. Downtown Tyler is also 

growing, with newly renovated spaces opening up almost 

weekly. New businesses are lured by the proximity to law, 

finance and, and oil and gas outposts of some of the major 

corporations in the country. With organizations like the 

Chamber of Commerce and the Heart of Tyler, who both 

call downtown home, more than $100 million has been 

reinvested in downtown Tyler—and the vision for the future 

remains unflinchingly bright. Tyler’s downtown inspires 

loyalty among its residents, and both the city and its citizens 

work diligently to ensure it remains an example of what an 

“old downtown” can still be, and what it yet might become. 

DOWNTOWN 

CHAPTER 3 

31

Right: Stanley's Famous Pit Bar B-Q 

brings in musicians from across the 

country to perform for Tylerites. 

Below: Traffic blurs the brick streets 

of downtown Tyler at night. 


32

CHAPTER 3 

33

Downtown Tyler plays host 

to businesses of all kinds. 

Liberty Hall Theatre has been restored to its former glory in downtown Tyler. 


34

Tyler's historic Liberty Hall hosts annual 

film and comedy festivals, along with 

movies and musicians. 

CHAPTER 3 

35


36

CHAPTER 3 

37

The Tyler Civic Theater Center hosts plays 

in the grandeur of the Tyler Rose Garden. 


38

The Bergfeld Shopping Center is one of the oldest destinations for shopping in the state. 

The center is home to some of the longest operating businesses in East Texas. 

CHAPTER 3 

39

EDUCATION 

Above: Faculty and staff at Tyler’s institutions of higher 

learning take part in their annual Homecoming 

activities to welcome students. 

Right: The new Ben and Maytee Fisch College 

of Pharmacy at The University of Texas 

at Tyler supplies the booming 

medical field of Tyler. 


40

Left: Students and their families take hot air balloon rides. 

Above: The University of Texas at Tyler opens their campus to alumni 

and their families every year during the fall semester. 

In Texas, Tyler is known as a regional hub for 

distinguished education at all levels. From pre-school 

and educational childcare to the highest levels of 

post-doctoral work, the opportunities for learning are 

among the finest in the state. The Tyler Independent 

School District, as well as the surrounding communities, 

offer a well-rounded curriculum focused on establishing 

the youth of today as Tyler’s future. Each year, TISD 

sends hundreds of young people on to some of the 

most prestigious colleges and fruitful careers across 

the nation. Tyler also has a substantial number of 

private and charter schools—more than seventy 

options for students of preschool age all the way to 

college preparation. At the collegiate level, Tyler boasts 

three nationally-recognized institutions of higher 

learning in Texas College, Tyler Junior College and 

the University of Texas at Tyler. At these bastions of 

higher education, enrollees develop as students and 

professionals, growing in knowledge and experience, 

and adding to the workforce of the Tyler area. 

Thanks to these institutions, Tyler has a source for 

young professionals with exceptional training in a 

host of fields, from healthcare to business, fine arts 

to the social sciences. Students also enjoy a rich 

extracurricular life, with an active Greek community, 

intramural sports and educational competitions, and 

internship opportunities to be found across Tyler. 

CHAPTER 3 

41

NATURE/OUTDOORS 


42 

Tyler’s most breathtaking feature might be its most accessible. All you have to do is walk 

outside and there you are, enjoying one of the most beautiful scenes on God’s green earth. 

Lakes and rivers, forests and hills, you can find it all in Tyler, Texas. In neighborhoods 

throughout the city, it is common to see a hundred-year-old oak tree towering above a 

family’s backyard. A view from on top of one downtown’s high-rises will bring you more 

shades of green than you might expect from a city of more than 100,000 people. Tylerites 

love it; they revel in it. During the week or on the weekends, you will find them in droves, 

out in nature, enjoying the outdoors, walking the trails of Rose Rudman Park, fishing at 

Lake Tyler, riding the famous mountain bike trails at Tyler State Park, or strolling through 

the Rose Garden. If golf is your pastime of choice, Tyler boasts multiple championship 

courses open year round. Tyler’s flora and fauna are some of the most diverse in the 

state, and in the country, leading to round-the-year hunting and fishing, gardening 

and horticultural competition. Outdoor enthusiasts are in heaven, and the scenery is 

captivating enough to make believers out of those who would not even consider 

themselves the type. The weather here allows the people of Tyler to enjoy Mother Nature’s 

gifts throughout most of the year. There are multiple parks located throughout the city 

to enjoy fitness activities and sports, as well as playgrounds and picnic areas for families.

Above: With the wonderful weather almost 

year round, Tylerites enjoy food and friends 

outdoors. Outdoor dining is one of the perks 

of warm Tyler weather. 

Opposite, bottom: A crane searches for fish 

along the bank at Lake Bellwood. 

Left: Enjoying the wildlife beside a pond. 

CHAPTER 3 

43

Above: The Children’s Park memorial statue. 

Right: Giant teddy bears at play in front of 

Franklin Falls in the Children’s Park. 


44

The Children’s Park of Tyler. 

CHAPTER 3 

45


46

The annual Azalea trail brings gardeners and 

photographers from across the country every year. 

CHAPTER 3 

47


48 

Families enjoy a swim on a hot day. 

Tyler has a magnificent selection of parks 

open throughout the year.

On the banks of the lake 

at Tyler State Park. 

Canoes for rent 

at Tyler State Park. 

CHAPTER 3 

49

A Style All Its Own 

In Tyler, as in almost any area of this 

great country, the love of the sports and athletics brings 

together people from all walks of life. Fall or summer, spring and 

even—begrudgingly—in winter, fans of games of all kinds can be found 

in one of Tyler’s beautiful parks or stadiums as cheers ring out alongside 

shouts of encouragement and instructions from the sidelines. From the weekend 

warriors of the recreational city-league softball teams to the national champions 

of Tyler Junior College or the University of Texas at Tyler, Tylerites love to play 

the game—and it could be any game. East Texas is known as a high school 

football hotbed, but Tyler has produced some incredible athletes 

in many sports. Whether it is golf, tennis, soccer or just people out 

on a Sunday afternoon enjoying a pickup game at the local 

park, sports is an integral part of life in Tyler. 


50

CHAPTER 

SPORTS/ATHLETICS 

CHAPTER 4 

51


52

CHAPTER 4 

53

ARTS/ENTERTAINMENT 


54 

Hit the lights…turn up the music…roll the cameras…because if you are looking 

for entertainment, Tyler is the place to be. Visitors come from all around to enjoy 

the incredible talent on display almost every night of the week here, and the 

variety of festivities in which you can partake is almost endless. Patrons at the 

Tyler Museum Art can marvel at the work of whichever internationally acclaimed 

artist’s show may be filling its curated spaces—and sometimes that artist may even 

call Tyler home. Historic venues like downtown’s Liberty Theater host everything 

from platinum recording artists to homegrown film festivals and hilarious 

standup comedians. The local music scene in Tyler is vibrant. If you are looking 

for rhythm and blues, classic rock, acoustic alternative, country and western, 

dance, electronic, Americana or a hundred variations in between, there are clubs 

and restaurants and dance halls that open their doors and welcome the public to 

experience the virtuosos onstage. Tyler is also home to the East Texas Symphony 

Orchestra, who seek to engage the Tyler and East Texas communities through 

inspiring performances of classical and modern music—and do not miss their 

annual Piano Festival, welcoming internationally heralded performers from around 

the globe. There are local-source theaters offering professionals and amateurs the 

chance to take to the stage and perform for the people of Tyler. UT Tyler and Tyler 

Junior College also provide a wonderful resource to those seeking something new 

and fresh, from Nobel Prize winning writers to touring companies of smash 

Broadway hits, there truly is something for every lover of the arts to enjoy in Tyler.

Opposite, top: A young girl 

enjoys the pool on a hot summer day. 

Opposite, bottom: A future tennis champ 

practices her swing at Hollytree Country Club. 

This page: The square in downtown Tyler is home 

to art galleries, restaurants and more. 

CHAPTER 4 

55


56

CHAPTER 4 

57


58

Opposite, top: Many historic landmarks hold a religious affiliation. 

Below: House of worship in the Azalea Historic District. 

CHAPTER 4 

59

Tyler People 

Nowhere is the giving spirit of the people Tyler more evident than in the highly 

active philanthropic community. Tyler is well known throughout the region, and 

indeed throughout the state of Texas, as a city that gives so much to so many 

worthy causes. The charity of Tylerites takes many forms. There are cowboy-themed 

soirees at thousand-acre ranches that raise millions for cancer research. There 

are candlelit get-togethers in historical homes that are vital to the preservation of 

the heritage of Tyler and its beautiful architecture. The Junior League of Tyler, Inc. 

donates hundreds of thousands of hours of personal time to help augment the never 

ending staffing needs of the dozens of charitable organizations who are always in 

need of a helping hand. There are food banks, endowments for fine art, coat drives, 

theater and symphony, scholarship funds and golf tournaments. We have crawfish 

boils and rummage sales, and more live and silent auctions than one might believe. 

But the amount of events and opportunities to give exist in Tyler only because 

the people here are up to the challenge. They delight in giving, in supporting 

those who need a hand, in bringing awareness to deserving and important causes. 


60

CHAPTER 

CHAPTER 5 

61


62

Aaron Ross and Earle Campbell, 

Tyler natives and University of Texas 

alumni on the social scene. 

CHAPTER 5 

63

Mayor Martin Heines 

and his family enjoy the 

Tyler nightlife. 


64

CHAPTER 5 

65


66

Each year the East Texas State Fair draws tens of thousands 

of people from across the state to Tyler. The East Texas State Fair 

has been a part of every Tyler summer for more than 100 years. 

Rides and slides entertain kids of all ages. 

CHAPTER 5 

67


68

CHAPTER 5 

69

Though Tyler is usually 

warm, every now and then 

the weather turns frosty. 


70

CHAPTER 5 

71


72

TYLER PARTNERS 

Profiles of businesses, organizations, and families that have 

contributed to the development and economic base of Tyler 

East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System ......74 

The Pamela Walters Group ............................................78 

Tyler Home Mortgage....................................................81 

Jose Feliciano, Jr. 

Feliciano Financial Group ........................................82 

UT Health Northeast ....................................................86 

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC.............................................88 

Junior League of Tyler, Inc.............................................90 

Turtle Island Stand Up Paddleboarding............................92 

Vasso & Associates .......................................................94 

Camp Ford Historical Association, Inc. 

East Texas Heritage Museum Association ....................96 

Camp Fannin Association, Inc. .......................................98 

Tyler Junior College .....................................................99 

FirstChoice Cooperative ..............................................100 

East Texas Brick Company ...........................................101 

Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce .................................102 

Austin Bank ..............................................................103 

Henry & Peters, P.C. ..................................................104 

The University of Texas at Tyler ...................................105 

Texas College ............................................................106 

Prothro, Wilhelmi & Company, PLLC.............................107 

Better Business Bureau ................................................108 

Camp Tyler Outdoor School..........................................109 

Gold Leaf Gallery ......................................................110 

Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics..................111 

Smith County Champions for Children ...........................112 

Historic Tyler, Inc. .....................................................113 

Office Pride of East Texas ...........................................114 

Hamm’s Oilfield Goods and Services, LLC ......................115 

Express Employment Professionals.................................116 

Youth With A Mission..................................................117 

Regions Bank .............................................................118 

All Natural Stone & Glass ...........................................119 

Marvin United Methodist Church ..................................120 

Allegiance Specialty Hospital .......................................121 

Tyler Independent School District Foundation .................122 

Tyler Independent School District .................................123 

Cavender’s ................................................................124 

Donna Cummings Photography......................................125 


73

Above: Medical Center Hospital 

(building on far right) opened in 1951, 

when Beckham Avenue was still a dirt road 

from the hospital going south. 

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE 

SMITH COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 

Below: ETMC team members extend a 

patient-centered focus through the simple 

compassion of people helping people. 

EAST TEXAS MEDICAL CENTER 

REGIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM 

America in the late 1940s was a nation 

with a sense of accomplishment, having 

triumphed in World War II with a spirit of 

national unity. As the county seat of Smith 

County, Tyler, Texas, was benefiting from 

the postwar boom along with the rest of 

the nation. The economy was growing, 

unemployment was low and educational 

enrollment was high. This boom in Tyler— 

and the resulting population growth—contributed 

to a critical shortage of hospital beds. 

By the late 1940s, a group of local civic 

leaders formed the East Texas Hospital 

Foundation (ETHF), with the mission of 

advancing health services. These far-sighted 

leaders saw the benefit of creating a new 

medical center complex to provide for the 

healthcare needs of not just Tyler and Smith 

County, but the entire East Texas region. 

“In 1951, we were a small 

group of East Texans with a 

big dream: to build a hospital 

that would rival any hospital, 

anywhere,” noted a historic 

edition of the Tyler Morning 

Telegraph of this effort. 

A thirty-five acre tract of 

land in the Douglas Estate, 

adjacent to Mother Frances 

Hospital, was deemed the ideal 

location for the new hospital 

and was acquired by the 

ETHF in 1948. Medical Center 

Hospital (now known as 

ETMC Tyler) officially opened 

for patients on Wednesday, 

September 19, 1951, to great 

fanfare by the Tyler community. 

The main entrance to the hospital was located 

on the facility’s original first floor and opened 

into the lobby. The new hospital was one of the 

first in the nation to be designed and built with 

central air conditioning, central oxygen supply 

for all care areas and a nurse call system. 

The Medical Center Hospital volunteers, 

employees, medical staff and hospital board 

were very proud of their new, state-of-the-art 

facility, and rightfully so. To build and equip 

the hospital had required the community of 

Tyler, led by members of its own “greatest generation,” 

to come together, pass a bond issue 

and conduct a large fundraising effort. With 

the visionary spirit of postwar America, Tyler 

recognized Medical Center Hospital as the 

foundation for an advanced, regional medical 

system. This, in turn, prompted the corporate 

name change to the East Texas Medical Center 

Regional Healthcare System, with a host of 

regional facilities bearing the ETMC brand. 

The 1970s and 1980s were historic decades 

as the not-for-profit ETMC Regional Healthcare 

System began to take shape as a model in 

regional medical care. Leading this evolution 

was President and CEO Elmer G. Ellis, who 

provided the direction needed for others to 

envision the power of shared resources in East 

Texas healthcare. Small hospitals throughout 

the region were struggling—and seeking new 

directions and partnerships. 

“Once we realized that our organization 

was in large part ministering to people who 

lived outside of Tyler and Smith County, we 

began to have a reverence for how special our 

relationships are with the referral communities,” 

Ellis noted. At that time nationally, the 

idea of moving into a multi-organizational 

structure was seen as challenging. However, 

East Texas was well-positioned geographically 

to support a regional system of medicine 

based on a flagship facility in Tyler and smaller 

hospitals that could benefit from its 

resources and expertise. 

The obligation to do the right thing for the 

rural East Texas hospitals began with a mandate 

that continues today: healthcare should 

be advanced to the highest level that can be sustained 

in home communities. Instead of shoring 

up the smaller facilities so that they could act as 

way-stations into Tyler, ETMC began taking 


74

old steps to modernize the hospitals that are 

affiliated with the health system, bringing in 

new medical and information technologies, 

as well as upgrades in the physical facilities. 

The chain reaction of better hospital facilities 

and technology made it easier to recruit 

physicians to the rural communities, and 

when necessary, those doctors had a solid 

path of referring patients to Tyler for more 

specialized care. Today ETMC provides 

community, inpatient hospitals in Athens, 

Carthage, Fairfield, Henderson, Jacksonville, 

Pittsburg, Quitman and Trinity. ETMC Tyler 

remains the system’s flagship facility, with the 

ETMC Rehabilitation Center, ETMC Specialty 

Hospital and ETMC Behavioral Health Center 

also in Tyler. 

Since its early years, emergency services 

have been central to the mission of care of 

the ETMC Regional Healthcare System. Its 

network of advanced emergency services 

provides Air 1 helicopters and a fleet of 

ambulances covering many East Texas and 

additional Texas communities. 

In 1998, ETMC Tyler was accredited as a 

Level I trauma center by the American College 

of Surgeons and the Texas Department of 

State Health Services—the first hospital in East 

Texas to receive this prestigious accreditation, 

and one of a few Level I trauma centers 

without an academic medical center affiliation. 

According to the American College of 

Surgeons (the accrediting organization), a Level I 

facility is a regional tertiary resource that is 

central to the trauma care system. Trauma 

refers to a serious or critical, often multisystem, 

injury to the body. A Level I trauma center 

must be capable of providing leadership and 

total care for every aspect of injury, from prevention 

through rehabilitation. In addition to 

acute care responsibilities, Level I trauma centers 

Above: Lights from Beckham Avenue at 

night highlight ETMC Tyler’s landmark arch 

and skywalk that connect the main hospital 

with the Olympic Plaza Tower and ETMC 

Rehabilitation Center. 

have the major role of providing leadership 

in education, research and system planning. 

“Achieving and maintaining Level I certification 

drives the quality of care throughout the 

Left: Inside a trauma room of ETMC’s 

Level I center, the trauma team stabilizes a 

patient and evaluates the extent of injuries. 

hospital,” noted Ellis. “It advances all of our services—from 

EMS and Air 1, to imaging and trauma 

surgery, to intensive care and rehabilitation.” 

Although it seems unimaginable today, 

prior to 1968, residents of Tyler and Smith 

Below: ETMC’s Air 1 emergency helicopter 

program extends lifesaving care throughout 

the East Texas region as part of ETMC’s 

commitment to trauma services. 

County—like most areas—received ambulance 

service through their local funeral 

homes. When the need surfaced for a professional 

ambulance provider, ETMC stepped 

forward. ETMC EMS quickly grew to become 

the largest not-for-profit EMS system in East 

Texas, and one of the largest in the nation. 

Most lives have been touched by cancer— 

whether through the diagnosis of a friend 

or loved one—a personal journey with the 

disease; or unfortunately, because of the loss 

of life of someone close. The good news is that 

miraculous advances are happening every day 

in the battle against cancer, and ETMC has 

been at the forefront of this fight in East Texas 

for the past thirty years. 

The opening of the East 

Texas Cancer Center—now 

ETMC health and medical services include: 

known as the ETMC Cancer Bariatric Surgery Center Rehabilitation Center 

Institute—in 1982 brought Behavioral Health Center Radiology and Imaging 

radiation therapy to the Cancer Institute Plastic Surgery 

people of East Texas. Instead Cardiovascular Institute Sleep Disorders Center 

of traveling to a metropolitan 

area, patients could 

Digestive Disease Center Emergency/Trauma Services 

Specialty Hospital Transplant Center 

receive this therapy in Tyler, 

Fitness/Wellness Home Health 

with the goal of longer, 

Women’s Health Neurological Institute 

healthier lives when a cancer 

Wound Healing Center Orthopedic Institute 

diagnosis was received. 


75

Top: LaNell Fomby, who had just completed 

six months of cancer treatment, was the first 

patient to ring Robyn’s Bell at the ETMC 

Cancer Institute. 

Above: Neurologist Dr. George Plotkin 

heads ETMC’s Movement Disorders Center, 

providing hope for patients with Parkinson’s 

and essential tremor disorders. 


76 

In 1991, ETMC Cancer Institute was the first 

facility in East Texas to receive accreditation 

from the American College of Surgeons 

Commission on Cancer (ACoS COC), placing it 

among the elite cancer centers across the nation. 

The ETMC Cancer Institute is the only 

radiation treatment center in East Texas offering 

Cyberknife, a non-invasive alternative to 

surgery for the treatment of both cancerous 

and non-cancerous tumors anywhere in the 

body, including prostate, lung, brain, spine, 

liver, pancreas and kidney. The treatment 

delivers beams of high dose radiation to 

tumors with extreme accuracy, offering new 

hope to cancer patients. 

The cancer institute continues to 

practice a multidisciplinary approach 

to treating cancer, where a host of 

physicians meet as a team each week 

to discuss each patient’s individual 

care and treatment plan. Central to 

the program are the medical oncologists 

of Tyler Hematology-Oncology 

and the Tyler Blood and Cancer Center, 

along with the radiation oncologists, 

surgeons, radiologists, pathologists 

and additional physicians. 

Cancer care then extends throughout 

the region through services at 

ETMC hospitals, including specialty 

clinics with visiting oncologists from 

Tyler, the ETMC mobile mammography 

unit and the ETMC Cancer 

Institute at Athens. In addition to 

clinical care, support services for 

patients are woven into the fabric of 

the ETMC Cancer Institute. These 

include a host of support groups as 

well as annual retreats for cancer survivors. 

A symbol of the care provided to patients is 

Robyn’s Bell, which is displayed prominently 

in the cancer institute’s lobby. The beautiful 

Scottish Cast Brass Bell (c. 1881) carries the 

motto of the University of Dundee in Dundee, 

Scotland: Magnificat Anima Mea Dominum—My 

Soul Does Magnify the Lord. Its plaque honors 

cancer survivorship, and encourages cancer 

patients: “Ring out the bell loud and true as 

you celebrate completion of your treatment!” 

The story of the ETMC Neurological 

Institute begins with one man: Neurosurgeon 

Ron Donaldson, MD, who came to Tyler in 

1972 from Oklahoma City with the goal of 

bringing neurosurgery to the people of East 

Texas. His practice grew rapidly into Tyler 

Neurosurgical Associates, one of the most 

productive neurosurgery groups in Texas, 

with ETMC Tyler advancing as a regional 

center for neurological care. 

In 1997 the ETMC Neurological Institute 

was formalized as a comprehensive resource to 

serve patients. Today, it is a remarkable team of 

more than twenty-five physicians, many of 

them fellowship-trained in the nation’s most 

prestigious medical centers. They specialize in 

brain and spine disorders through specialties 

in neurology, neurosurgery, neuro-oncology, 

neuro-trauma, ear, nose and throat and 

maxillofacial surgery, sleep disorders, pain 

management, stroke, Parkinson’s disease and 

other movement disorders. 

One of the dramatic clinical advancements 

at the ETMC Neurological Institute is deep 

brain stimulation (DBS). “DBS changes lives.” 

That is the mantra of George Plotkin, MD, 

who has seen firsthand how DBS does change 

the lives of individuals suffering from 

Parkinson’s disease and related disorders. 

The founder and medical director of the 

Movement Disorders Center at the ETMC 

Neurological Institute, Dr. Plotkin came 

to Tyler in 2000 looking for the ability to 

establish such a program. 

Today, Dr. Plotkin heads a fully-operational 

neuro-movement center, receiving DBS 

referrals from other states and countries. It is 

the second largest center in Texas for DBS 

implants and one of the largest centers in 

the United States for Parkinson’s care. Other 

conditions treated at the movement disorders 

center include essential tremor, restless leg 

syndrome, spasticity, Tourette’s syndrome, 

dystonia and Huntington’s disease. 

The ETMC Cardiovascular Institute provides 

advanced cardiac care for the region as 

the first facility in East Texas to pioneer a variety 

of new treatment options for heart patients. 

In the early 1990s, ETMC Tyler saw the wonderful 

opportunity to build a state-of-the-art 

cardiac hospital from the ground up. With 

input from ETMC Tyler’s cardiovascular physicians, 

the institute was designed as a 27,000-

square-foot addition on the eastern side of the 

hospital. The patient-focused center contains 

cardiac catheterization labs, designated cardiac 

operating rooms, the cardiac ICU and other 

clinical, patient and family areas. 

“The layout of the program allows for excellent 

technology and safety, since a patient can 

be brought into the cath lab on an emergency 

basis and then proceed directly to surgery, 

if surgery is indicated,” said Bob Evans, ETMC 

Tyler administrator. “Post-surgery, the cardiac 

ICU is in a semi-circular pattern that allows 

comprehensive monitoring. Even the expansive 

windows along the outside wall are part of 

the recovery process, since the sunlight helps 

patients re-orient to the world and promotes 

a healing environment.” 

Today, the ETMC Cardiovascular Institute 

reaches beyond Tyler through clinics at 

our hospitals across the region. “The referral 

network is very complex,” said Evans. “More 

than half of all of our patients for cardiac 

come from outside Smith County, showing 

our regional approach to cardiac care.” 

Equally important are the outpatient 

programs region-wide that provide early 

assessment of cardiac problems. Following 

procedures, cardiac rehabilitation is offered 

throughout the ETMC system, enabling 

patients to complete their recovery in their 

hometown area, under the supervision of 

ETMC rehabilitation specialists. 

The ETMC Cardiovascular Institute has 

achieved national recognition for its programs, 

including designations as a National Chest 

Pain Center and a certified stroke center. 

The Tylerites of the 1940s who first envisioned 

the East Texas Medical Center Regional 

Healthcare System set into motion a legacy of 

healthcare that began with community support. 

The original East Texas Hospital Foundation 

was all about big dreams: the dream of a major 

medical center to serve East Texans, along 

with other needed healthcare services. 

More than sixty years later, the East Texas 

Medical Center Foundation is still about big 

dreams. Charitable giving allows individuals 

and organizations to be a part of ETMC’s mission 

of care as the health system continually 

works to advance services and improve the 

quality of life for East Texans. 

“Gifts from individuals and organizations 

to not-for-profit healthcare institutions have 

been a cornerstone for our country’s hospitals, 

and that support is needed today more than 

ever,” added Ellis. “We thank our donors— 

past, present and future—for their continued 

support of our mission throughout the region. 

It’s all about people caring for people.” 

At the heart of the ETMC organization is its 

mission, the fundamental guiding principle 

which forms the core foundation upon which 

all of its endeavors are based: “We continuously 

strive to bring an unmatched spirit of 

excellence to the art and science of healthcare. 

We measure our success by how our efforts 

improve the quality of life for people and 

communities in East Texas.” 

Ellis readily notes that this guiding philosophy 

is based on what patients need and 

deserve in their care. “I was once wisely 

told that if you put the patient first in your 

decisions, then everything else will fall into 

place. That patient-centered philosophy has 

been—and will continue to be—the driving 

force for us at ETMC.” 

Above: ETMC Tyler is a not-for-profit 

regional referral center, bringing world-class 

care to people in our part of the world. 

Left: ETMC’s heart hospital groups all the 

facilities needed for cardiac patients, from 

the catheterization lab (shown here) to 

operating rooms, recovery and cardiac ICU. 


77

THE PAMELA 

WALTERS GROUP 

Left to right, Pamela Walters, Jamie Brown, 

Julia Coody, Joyce Warrington and 

Tia Spotted Tail. Back row: Jason Jones, 

Katie Heimer, Tina Lindsay, Bobby Carter, 

David Kurtz, and Bart Brown. 


78 

People want to live in Tyler. It is a simple 

statement, surely, but the decision to call one 

place home over another is an enormously 

important matter for anyone. Where you 

choose to plant your roots or raise your 

family says as much about your values, 

priorities and what you care about as 

anything contained inside the home itself. 

Pamela Walters, and every single member of 

the team at The Pamela Walters Group 

knows exactly what it means to choose 

where to live, and they are uniquely suited 

to helping you make those vital choices. 

“We are dedicated to creating exceptional 

real estate experiences for our customers and 

our community through the passionate 

delivery of truly remarkable service,” said 

Pamela. “We pledge to promote a fun, fulfilling 

and respectful environment; one that 

is open to change and innovation.” 

In 1980, when the price of oil was nonexistent, 

Pamela was working for an oil 

and gas company that went bankrupt. Times 

were tough, and she was going to have 

to sell her house, so she called a REALTOR ® 

friend for advice. The friend sent her Broker


79

out to measure Pamela’s house and discuss 

selling her home. During their conversation, 

the Broker learned Pamela had a real estate 

license and encouraged her to come sell 

for him! 

“The next morning, I went to see him 

and was hired right away at Wayne Jones 

Real Estate. I sold six houses in the first 

10 days by staying late, answering the 

phone and by just working hard and 

caring more.” 

Pamela spent time after that at ERA, 

then RE/MAX before going out on her own 

to start The Pamela Walters Group ten 

years ago. Through it all, Pamela has seen 

growth and success. She still has clients she 

served during the first years at Wayne Jones. 

Real Estate transactions are complex, but 

the overall premise is the same regardless 

of whether you are buying or selling a home. 

It takes something truly remarkable to set 

one group apart from another. The number 

one goal for The Pamela Walters Group is 

helping clients accomplish their goals. 

Number two is holding their hands and 

taking care of their emotional needs. “Buying 

or selling a home can be traumatic—that’s 

where you will raise your children, or maybe 

it’s where your parents raised you,” said 

Pamela. “People are very passionate, so the 

one thing I always want a client to know 

is that I care. We just want to give you 

exceptional service and negotiate the best 

price we can in the shortest amount of time.” 

The Pamela Walters Group uses a true 

team approach—two people handle the 

listings, one takes the listing photos, another 

handles the transactions from offer to closing. 

They even have one person to put up signs 

and lockboxes. It’s a group working together 

for the clients, and TPWG is there for 

“anything they need”. Each client is given 

a VIP card enabling them to use office 

computers, copier, fax, and other office 

equipment, for life. They also provide a 

moving van to their clients, not just for the 

move but for any other need the client 

has, for life. The main office line is forwarded 

to a buyers agent after hours so clients 

can always reach a member of the team. That 

team approach carries over to how they 

serve their clients. “Typical real estate agents 

handle listings and work with buyers, 

whereas here we have 8 agents that work 

only with buyers,” said Pamela. “And we back 

one another up. The buyer or seller is never 

put-off ‘until we can get to them tomorrow.’ 

We show interest because it’s how we feel— 

we want to help! We’ve built a team here 

that meets regularly, works cooperatively 

and is educated, informed and constantly 

learning and training.” 

As the business grew, so did the team— 

Pamela never intended to open a stand-alone 

office, but she was just too busy to handle 

everything herself. As TPWG grew, she added 

team members. Today The Pamela Walters 

Group has a listing agent, eight buyers 

agents, three lending officers, a marketing 

manager/photographer, a bookkeeper and 

listing assistant, a leasing agent/property 

manager, and a transaction coordinator. In 

2015, The Pamela Walters Group opened a 

mortgage company, Tyler Home Mortgage, 

that provides low-cost mortgage services and 

convenience to clients. 

Pamela Walters’ commitment also extends 

throughout her community. She is on the board 

for Tyler Type One Diabetes Foundation, is 

a member of the Tyler Area Chamber of 

Commerce, Tyler Rotary Club, a Lifetime 

member of the Salvation Army Women’s 

Auxiliary, and gives generously to support 

the SPCA of East Texas, the Pegasus Project 

for Horse Rehabilitation, TheraPet, P.A.T.H., 

the Cancer Society, Heart Association, Pets Fur 

People, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, 

Habitat for Humanity and many more. 

“Since we started, we’ve worked diligently 

and with purpose,” Pamela said. “There have 

been ups and downs in the market—and I’ll 

tell you that the learning curve for being a 

leader and business owner is straight up. But 

the mission has remained intact, and the goal 

of providing exceptional, compassionate 

service for our clients has remained at the 

forefront. It keeps us coming back and loving 

our job every day…. And I still have the 

polaroid Wayne Jones gave me that he took 

when he came to measure my house all those 

years ago—it’s a picture of the house I chose 

not to sell.” 


80

In 2015, Pamela Walters and Teri 

Killingsworth launched Tyler Home Mortgage 

(THM), a residential lending office servicing 

East Texas that has helped dozens of people 

finance new homes. 

“It’s a young company, but we are growing 

and have had remarkable success,” said 

Killingsworth. “That success is built on a few 

vitally important concepts. We are here to 

help our clients however and whenever they 

may need it. We are highly skilled at what we 

do. I started as a personal assistant in this 

business in college, finished my education 

and have worked in the field for decades. 

I’ve processed, closed and worked on every 

section of lending in between. We can explain 

every item and answer every question in 

detail, from A-to-Z. We don’t just fill out 

forms—we understand the entire process 

from underwriting all the way to closing, and 

that’s just not common in mortgage lending.” 

Killingsworth said the knowledge and the 

willingness to share and use it for the benefit 

of THM clients is fundamental to what has 

helped them build Tyler Home Mortgage 

so quickly. Communication is key, she says. 

“There are a lot of preconceived notions about 

lending, and we are here, always available, to 

answer those questions and provide expertise 

and comfort for our clients.” 

THM was started because they were 

tired of the lending process as a whole. 

“Getting a mortgage can be a horrible, 

stressful, time-consuming experience with 

the wrong company,” Killingsworth said. 

“In that 30-day period, your mortgage is 

the most important thing in your world. 

When the process goes poorly, it can be 

damaging both emotionally and financially. 

We’ve had clients who have had terrible 

experiences, and we wanted to build a 

company that provided the total opposite. 

We absorb all the “junk” fees, and we help 

educate, guide, and inform. Though it might 

not always be sunshine and rainbows, by 

the end of the process, you will know what 

is happening and why, and you’ll be in the 

best possible position as a homebuyer.” 

For Killingsworth and Walters, the success 

of THM is an affirmation that a company can 

be successful doing good work. Killingsworth 

describes the staff of THM as puzzle solvers: 

“A mortgage is like a puzzle with hundreds 

of pieces, and every person, every puzzle is 

different. My job is making everything fit. 

We don’t make things work to benefit us, 

we make things work for the client and 

what they need. We are masters at solving 

the home buying puzzle because there are 

no problems, only opportunities for solutions.” 

TYLER HOME 

MORTGAGE 

Left: Teri Killingsworth. 

Below: Left to right, Kathleen Wallace and 

Teri Killingsworth. 


81

Supporting the FRESH 15K Fundraiser with 

brother Jeff, and nephew, Jacob. 

JOSE FELICIANO, JR. 

FELICIANO FINANCIAL GROUP 

Ask anyone who works there and you will 

be told that the guiding principle behind 

the success of the Feliciano Financial Group 

is “helping other people build their lives, 

legacy and business—with a purpose.” The 

principle must work because FFG is now one 

of the premiere financial services firms within 

the Woodbury Financial Services network. 

“When I started in the business, I was collecting 

weekly premiums for policies sold mostly 

to low-income East Texans. In the beginning, 

it was just a job, a way to make a living for 

me and my family. Before the year was out, the 

owner of a health insurance agency offered 

me a new opportunity calling on companies 

interested in providing health coverage to their 

employees,” Jose Feliciano, Jr., remembers. 

“I suppose I was a natural in the insurance 

business. As I continued growing my account 

list, I realized what I was doing could actually 

make a real impact on the lives of the people 

whose families were covered by the policies I 

wrote. After two years, I decided I wanted to 

be an independent agent. I don’t think I knew 

it then, but that decision was the basis for 

what became my passion to help other people 

realize their dreams and aspirations!” 

A sense of belonging, of being family, and 

living as an integral part of a community are 

important attributes to some people. That 

certainly holds true for Jose and his family. 

He met Wanda Morriss, a Tyler native who 

graduated from John Tyler High School. 

Her father, Jack, was a constable in Tyler. 

Jose and Wanda had their first date on 

May 30, 1981, during Greek Night at the 

Lite Lab Club. “I had a ‘Rocky’ moment with 

Wanda…hey, Adrian, whatta ya doin’ for the 

next fifty years?” Jose remembers. However, 

Jose’s responsibilities as legal guardian to his 

younger siblings led to an eleven-year 

courtship. They were finally married on 

May 30, 1992, eleven years to the day from 

their first date. “I think falling in love with 

Wanda is one of the reasons I became so 

connected to Tyler,” Jose says. 

Throughout his career, Jose and Wanda 

have been involved with the community. 

Wanda participated in the first Leadership 

Tyler class. Jose led numerous fundraising 

efforts for various charities in Tyler, graduated 

from Leadership Tyler 5, and served 

for three years on the TISD School Board. 

“We moved around a lot when I was growing 

up,” Jose remembers, “It was difficult leaving 

friends, changing schools, and finding the 

way around a new city.” It was all made more 

difficult because the task of communicating 

with new people in strange, new surroundings 

often fell to Jose. Jose was the firstborn 

child of parents who were both deaf mutes. 

“If there is one thing that took hold of me 

as I was growing up; one thing that shaped 

my outlook more than anything, it was that 

family is the most important thing,” says Jose. 

“When I think about it, the place one calls 

home became important to me, probably 

because of moving around so much as a kid. 

I don’t know exactly when or why, but 

sometime after my family came to East Texas, 

I developed a feeling for this area. When 

I started attending Tyler Junior College, I 

began feeling at home here. I studied in 

San Marcos for a while. Coming home to Tyler 

just seemed to be the right place for me.” 

To understand how the importance of family 

became so ingrained, it helps to step back and 

understand the background from which Jose 


82

came and the circumstances that created the 

conditions in which he was born. His father 

was the only child of Gao Feliciano and 

his wife, Carmen. Jose Anselmo Feliciano, Sr., 

was born on March 9, 1939, in the small 

town of Aquidilla, located on the west coast of 

Puerto Rico. As the infant grew into a toddler, 

his parents realized something was wrong. 

The couple poured love and affection on their 

young son, but slowly became concerned that 

he was not developing as quickly as other 

children. A local doctor gave them a diagnosis 

when the youngster was about a year and a 

half old. Their son was deaf. It was difficult 

for the young parents to understand, because 

they could think of no reason for the deafness. 

There was no history of deafness on either 

side of their families and Carmen’s pregnancy 

had been normal. After he was born, Jose 

had never been ill, never had an abnormally 

high fever. Why he could not hear remained 

a mystery. When he was old enough, Jose 

was enrolled in a school for deaf children in 

San Juan, three hours away. When he was 

five years old, Gao and Carmen divorced. 

Carmen moved from their island home to 

New York, joining other Puerto Ricans there. 

For a time, his mother’s departure was 

hard for young Jose to accept. He was determined 

that he would one day do whatever 

was necessary to find her. In the meantime, 

he continued at school, frequently getting 

into fights. His unhappiness increased and he 

became restless. By the time he was in the 

sixth grade, he decided to quit school and 

went to work at his father’s auto paint and 

body shop. Gao taught his son the trade, 

and was confident it was an occupation that 

would serve him for a lifetime. But, young 

Jose continued growing restless and told his 

father he wanted to go to New York and 

find his mother. Reluctantly, Gao agreed, 

and placing a placard declaring his disability 

on the nineteen-year-old, he helped Jose 

emigrate from Puerto Rico to New York. 

The Puerto Rican community in 1958 

New York was a tightly knit community. Gao 

had contacted friends in New York, who met 

Jose at the airport. In no time at all, Jose was 

able to reunite with his mother. She welcomed 

him into her home and he soon found 

a job at a local paint and body shop. Through 

a friend he knew from the deaf school in 

San Juan, who had also 

moved to New York, 

Jose was introduced to 

students attending the 

deaf school in New 

York. Meeting these 

others, who shared his 

disability, helped Jose 

develop self-confidence 

and gave him hope that 

the new life he had 

embarked upon would 

bring him happiness. 

Top, left: Jose hosted a ’50s-style Sock Hop 

fundraiser. Pictured here is Jose with singer 

Vince Vance. 

Top, right: Jose sharing the stage with 

Coach Mike Ditka. 

Below: From 1984 to 2004, Jose has 

sponsored New Year’s Eve Parties as 

charitable fundraisers. Pictured here are the 

sponsors at the 2002 New Year’s Eve Party. 


83

Top: John and Jose Feliciano in 

New York, 1967. 

Above: The Feliciano Family in 2004. 


84 

His dreams seemed to come true one day in 

1961 when he met a pretty girl on the subway 

on his way to a bowling tournament for 

the deaf. Edie Georgetta Napier was born in 

New York on September 20, 1946. She was of 

French-Irish descent. She, too, was inexplicably 

born deaf. Edie was attending the school for 

the deaf, and learning to adjust to living in a 

hearing world, when she met Jose. The two 

began dating, and once her parents, Edith 

and Tim Napier, were convinced that Jose 

would be able to provide for their daughter, 

they allowed the young couple to marry. 

Edie adapted to her role as a 

homemaker quickly, and Jose’s salary 

continued to rise at his job at the 

paint and body shop. Soon, the couple 

moved from Queens to the Hell’s 

Kitchen neighborhood in Manhattan. 

It was in this medium to low income 

neighborhood that Edie gave birth 

to the couple’s first child, Jose, Jr., 

on November 13, 1962. Edie was 

happy that when she clapped her 

hands, her baby reacted. She knew 

having a hearing child would be 

difficult, but she and Jose, Sr., had 

already proven they could handle most things 

themselves. She quickly learned to interpret 

her baby’s needs using her other senses. She 

kept the baby close to her in the bed when he 

slept, knowing that when babies cry, they 

kick. Whenever he started kicking, she would 

wake up and feed him or change his diaper. 

As Jose, Jr., was taking his first steps, he was 

also learning sign language from his parents. 

Edie wanted her child to be able to speak 

properly, so she asked her parents to spend 

as much time with her baby as they could. 

Jose, Jr., learned to speak from his maternal 

grandparents. His grandfather, Tim, was the 

superintendent of the building the family lived 

in, so Jose, Jr., was able to spend a great deal 

of time with both of his grandparents. Despite 

the handicap of living in a silent world, Jose, 

Jr.’s parents never allowed that disadvantage 

to affect the way they lived their lives. They 

were determined to have a family of their 

own, and to be as independent as they could. 

Within a year and a half, another son was 

born into the Feliciano family. John arrived on 

March 22, 1964. The family continued living 

in Hell’s Kitchen, with both boys beginning 

elementary school at PS 51. “The school was 

only a couple of blocks from our apartment. 

“John and I walked to school every day,” 

Jose, Jr., recalls. “I remember in early 1970, 

my father was getting concerned about how 

the neighborhood was changing, and since he 

had friends who lived in Tucker, Georgia, he 

decided we would move there.” Jose Jr., was 

nine years old when the family moved to the 

South. This was his first experience handling 

financial matters for his parents. “Because I 

could interpret for them, I helped negotiate 

the rent for the apartment we rented. I think 

it was $50 a month. I had to deal with 

getting the utilities turned on and the other 

services connected.” After a couple of years in 

Tucker, Jose, Sr., decided Fayetteville, North 

Carolina, offered a better opportunity. Once 

again, the family moved. “John and I were 

both in school and dad was at work the day 

mom went into labor with Jeff. She caught 

the bus by herself and went to the hospital,” 

Jose, Jr., remembers. “Later that day, there was 

an announcement over the loud speaker at 

school informing everyone that John and I had 

a new little brother. That was November 5, 

1974.” Once again, Jose, Sr., sensed opportunity 

was just over the horizon, and moved 

the family to Orlando, Florida. Once again, 

Edie got pregnant, and this time the brothers 

welcomed a little sister, Juanita on August 25, 

1976. Shortly after Juanita’s birth, the 

family moved back to New York to spend time 

with Edie’s parents, who were getting older. 

They spent several months in New York 

before Jose, Sr., decided it was time to seek 

another opportunity. 

This time, Jacksonville, Texas, was the destination. 

Jose, Jr., liked this move. He was just 

starting high school and had the opportunity 

to play baseball and football at Jacksonville 

High School, where he graduated in 1980. It 

was in Jacksonville that Jose received one of 

the most important lessons of his life. “I am 

almost ashamed to admit it now, but there 

were times when signing for my parents 

embarrassed me. People in public places 

would often stare when I was interpreting for 

my parents. Sometimes, I was self-conscious

when I was signing for them. 

My father would nudge me, and I 

would sign back to him that I 

would tell him later. That upset 

my father, who signed back at 

me with a flourish, ‘Son, don’t 

worry about what other people 

think. Just be!’ It was not until 

an incident happened at a high 

school sports banquet that I 

understood what he really meant.” 

During the banquet, as the coach was making 

a speech, Jose’s father asked what the coach 

was saying. Jose, Jr., pretended not to notice, 

and ignored his father. Out of the corner 

of his eye, Jose, Jr., saw his father signing, 

“Don’t worry about other people. Just be!” 

“That was a pivotal moment. I realized how 

much I had hurt my father because I was 

self-conscious, for no good reason. I never 

again allowed myself to be embarrassed 

about anything concerning my parents and 

their handicap,” Jose, Jr., says, “It was then 

that I realized that life is made up of many 

elements, some good, some bad; some important, 

some mundane. It is everything that 

touches one that creates our individual 

lives. There is a wholeness that comes from 

realizing that all of those elements exist, 

and the only thing that matters is how we 

react to them.” 

This realization eventually became a foundational 

aspect of Jose’s business. It is the 

reason Jose is passionate about holistic planning—integrating 

tax planning, insurance 

planning, investment planning, retirement 

planning, business planning, cash flow, 

budgeting, and estate planning services all 

under one roof. “We work just like a general 

contractor working together with architects, 

electricians, plumbers, carpenters, painters, 

roofers for the benefit of their client’s vision,” 

Jose explains, “My whole life has been an 

evolutionary process. To communicate with 

my parents, it was necessary to learn to sign. 

Because of the situation I was in, it was necessary 

for me to take on adult duties when I 

was child. As I was growing up and we moved 

from place to place, I learned to adapt to new 

surroundings and to change as was necessary. 

In my business, my main goal was to help 

people.” With that goal as the driving force, 

the company had to change as its customer’s 

needs changed. That was the reason Jose’s 

practice evolved from insurance planning to 

wealth management. That is the reason it 

took on healthcare coverage. Today, FFG is 

developing GeriatricCare Solutions, because 

the customers need help navigating through 

the Medicare system and its complex rules 

and regulations. “It is not one thing, but it 

is many things that comprise our lives. We 

have to think in terms of the whole, not just a 

single item,” says Jose. 

“I love Tyler. I love that I can work in community 

where I can make a contribution, 

large or small, to the people who are my 

neighbors. I can make a difference. That’s 

important to me. It’s important to my company. 

It’s important to my family.” An example 

of the connection the Feliciano family made 

with Tyler occurred when a statue of Jackson 

Feliciano was erected at The Children’s Park 

on Broadway. Jackson was two years old 

when he succumbed to a seizure caused by 

the brain degenerative disease Alpers in 

2007. “Nothing is so tragic to parent than 

losing a child. Our entire family was devastated 

when Jeff and Marci lost Jackson,” says 

Jose. “Friends throughout Tyler participated 

when a bronze statue of Jackson was placed 

at The Children’s Park. It is such a wonderful 

tribute to his memory, and for other children 

who have been lost too soon. Tyler is the 

kind of community where people show 

their compassion toward one another. It is 

a community of caring people who rally 

together for good causes, whether it is 

raising money to support charities or merely 

to sit quietly giving comfort to a neighbor 

in crisis. I am proud to call Tyler my home.” 

Left: The Feliciano Family in 2014. 

Left to right, Jeff’s wife Marci; 

Jose, Jr.’s wife Wanda; mother Edie; Jose, Jr.; 

father Jose, Sr.; stepmother Aurea; 

brother Jeff; Jose’s daughter April; 

brother John; and sister, Juanita Feliciano. 

Right: Jose vacationing with wife, Wanda 

and daughter, April. 

Below: Statue of Jackson Feliciano, placed in 

his memory at The Children’s Park in Tyler. 

Jose Feliciano offers securities and 

investment advisory services through 

Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., member 

FINRA/SIPC. Insurance services offered 

through Feliciano Financial Group, 

1828 E. Southeast Loop 323, Suite 200, 

Tyler, Texas 75701, 903-533-8585. 

Entities referenced are not affiliated. 


85

UT HEALTH 

NORTHEAST 

Above: During the height of the war, troop 

capacity at Camp Fannin was just over 

18,000 soldiers with an army hospital that 

treated troops injured in the fight to liberate 

Europe from Nazi control. 

Below: The University of Texas Health 

Center at Tyler became the state referral 

hospital for cardiopulmonary disease 

because of its advanced specialization in the 

treatment and prevention of lung disease. 


86 

Someone once said that dreams come a 

size too big so we can grow into them. In 

the fall of 2002, the Board of Regents of 

The University of Texas System appointed 

Kirk A. Calhoun, M.D. president of what 

was then The University of Texas Health 

Center at Tyler. Dr. Calhoun came with a 

wealth of healthcare experience; a visionary 

with dreams of what this small, rural university 

medical center could become. He would 

be only the fourth individual to lead this 

organization whose rich heritage began in 

1943 as Camp Fannin, a U.S. World War II 

Army Infantry Training Center that included 

a 1,074-bed army hospital. 

When the war ended in 1945, Camp Fannin 

was decommissioned. However, another battle—the 

fight against tuberculosis—was one 

of the leading killers in the U.S. in the 1940s. 

The Camp Fannin hospital barracks and the 

614 acres around it were given to the State 

of Texas by the federal government to treat 

patients with TB. In 1957, a new six-story, 325- 

bed facility named the East Texas Tuberculosis 

Hospital was completed. 

In 1970, George A. Hurst, M.D. was named 

director of the hospital. One year later in 

1971, the 62nd Texas Legislature changed 

the institution’s name to the East Texas Chest 

Hospital to recognize the treatment of lung 

diseases other than TB. 

On September 1, 1977, the hospital was 

transferred from the Texas Department of 

Health to the world-renowned University 

of Texas System officially becoming The 

University of Texas Health Center at Tyler. 

Tyler leaders such as Texas Senator Peyton 

McKnight, who sponsored the transfer bill 

and others including Royce Wisenbaker, Sr., 

and Isadore Roosth provided key support. 

In September 1980, UT Health Center 

opened another six-story hospital tower, and 

on June 3, 1981, UT physicians performed 

the region’s first heart catheterization. That 

same year, Dr. Allen Cohen, a prominent 

pulmonologist and scientist from Temple 

University in Philadelphia, was recruited 

to lead UT Health’s fledgling biomedical 

research program. In 1985, construction of 

a $9-million, 71,000-square-foot Center 

for Biomedical Research began and was 

completed in 1987. 

In the area of education, the newly-created 

Family Practice Residency Program accepted 

its first physician residents in 1985. In 1994 

another residency program in occupational 

medicine was added. 

After twenty-seven years, Dr. Hurst retired 

from the Health Center in January 1998, and 

that same month, Dr. Ronald F. Garvey was 

named to lead the institution. He retired in 

August 2002. 

Dr. Kirk Calhoun began his tenure as 

president in September 2002 and is credited 

with leading an ongoing evolution into the 

twenty-first century.

In 2005 the four-story outpatient Riter 

Center for Advanced Medicine was dedicated in 

honor of the late A. W. “Dub” Riter, Jr., a longtime 

supporter of UT Health. In 2008 the institution’s 

name was changed to The University 

of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler. 

Patient care at UT Health Northeast has 

expanded from the original hospital to 

also include over 30 specialties in 25 

clinics on the main campus and in Overton, 

North Tyler, Lindale, and on the campus 

of sister institution UT Tyler, as well as a 

Level IV Emergency Room. 

Under Dr. Calhoun’s leadership, a new 

three-story, $67-million Academic Center was 

built in 2009. Located on the first floor is 

the Cancer Treatment and Prevention Center; 

it is home to some of the most advanced 

technology available today combined with 

a team of experienced and highly trained 

medical professionals. 

An ultramodern Breast Center and a Surgery 

Clinic are located on the second floor and the 

Watson W. Wise Medical Research Library is 

on the third floor along with the Louise and 

Joseph Z. Ornelas Academic Amphitheater 

and additional classrooms. 

The education mission of UT Health took 

a giant leap forward when in early 2012, 

the Texas Higher Education Coordinating 

Board officially approved the establishment 

of the School of Medical Biological Sciences. A 

first ever degree-granting program, a master’s 

in biotechnology, welcomed its first class 

in August 2012. The Southern Association 

of Colleges and Schools Commission on 

Colleges (SACSCOC) conferred accreditation 

on UT Health Northeast in December 2015. 

The faculty and staff of UT Health’s Center 

for Biomedical Research have also made 

great strides and are advancing healthcare 

one discovery at a time in scientific areas 

including lung injury and repair, infectious 

lung diseases, and cancer, to name just a few 

ongoing research projects. The biomedical 

research conducted at UT Health is nationally 

recognized and competitively funded by 

private foundations, nonprofit organizations, 

the Centers for Disease Control, and the gold 

standard of research support—the National 

Institutions of Health. 

In February 2013, UT Health Science Center 

received approval from the Board of Regents 

to use of the name UT Health Northeast to 

better reflect its regional service. 

As UT Health continues to build on making 

its dreams a reality, the tradition of excellence 

and public service that began with a barracks 

hospital more than seventy years ago remains 

a core commitment. With exceptional patient 

care, comprehensive education, and innovative 

research, UT Health Northeast truly is 

the university medical center for northeast 

Texas and beyond. 

Above: The Varian TrueBeam TM 2.5 linear 

accelerator treats cancer so precisely it can 

target tumors the size of a small green pea 

in six dimensions without damaging the 

surrounding healthy tissue. 

Below: Dr. Kirk Calhoun, a nephrologist 

by training, is recognized from Austin to 

Washington D.C., as a leader in healthcare 

focused on population health and on serving 

the needs of all citizens. 


87

WELLS FARGO 

ADVISORS, LLC 


88 

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC is the third 

largest brokerage firm in the country. The 

company provides investment advice and 

financial guidance to its clients. Operating in 

all fifty states and the District of Columbia, 

the company helps people to understand their 

life goals and assisting them in developing 

individual financial plans designed to ensure 

a secure financial future. 

However, there is a more personal role 

played by Wells Fargo Advisors in Tyler; some 

would say a more important role. That is the 

role of concerned citizens taking an active 

part in the welfare of their community. Wells 

Fargo Advisors supports several philanthropic 

organizations in Tyler. Greg Strnadel is the 

A.R.E.T.X. Complex Manager and a senior 

vice president with Wells Fargo Advisors 

headquartered in Tyler. He explains the reason 

behind his company’s commitment to the 

community this way, “Our company’s success 

is directly related to the success of our 

customers. We also understand that we have 

a responsibility to take part in community 

activities that impact our neighbors.” Local 

management picks the organizations it 

chooses to support. That is one of Greg’s 

duties with WFA, “Our success comes from a 

time-tested formula: local people making 

local decisions because they know best what 

their communities need,” Greg elaborates. 

“We give both financial support, and more 

importantly, we encourage our employees to 

volunteer with these groups.” 

The company is known throughout the 

United States for its corporate commitment to 

the community. In 2013, Wells Fargo invested 

$275.5 million in 18,500 nonprofits nationwide, 

surpassing $200 million for the seventh 

consecutive year. Wells Fargo will match 

employee contributions, dollar-for-dollar, 

from $25 up to $5,000 per team member, per 

year, all donations made to eligible 501(c)(3) 

nonprofit accredited educational institutions 

and foundations. Each year, during the month 

of September, Wells Fargo team members 

donate financially to the nonprofits of their 

choice during the Community Support and 

United Way Campaign. In 2014, our team 

members set a company record by pledging 

$97.7 million to nonprofits and schools, 

including $70.5 million pledged during our 

annual workplace giving campaign. For the 

sixth year in a row, we were named United 

Way Worldwide No. 1 workplace giving 

campaign in the U.S. 

Dollars and cents is not the only measure 

of our community support. The communities 

in which we serve benefit from the labor our 

team members donate as well. In 2014, 

64,350 team members nationwide volunteered 

a record 1.74 million hours, a three 

percent increase from 2013. These volunteer 

hours represent an estimated $40.1 million in 

volunteer time (Source: Independent Sector’s 

2014 Dollar Value of a Volunteer Hour, stated 

as $23.07 per volunteer hour). 

A prime example is Operation American 

Pride, which Greg conceived as a way for 

giving needed essentials to the men and 

women of the United States Armed Forces 

stationed around the world. For the past five 

years, Wells Fargo Advisors in East Texas 

and Arkansas collected thousands of care 

packages for those American heroes. “Team 

members brought their families and we all 

worked together putting those packages 

together,” says Greg with pride. “This is an 

idea that has legs. Now we are extending 

the program by providing pre-paid calling 

cards so our sentinels on the watchtowers of 

freedom can stay in touch with their loved 

ones. Money makes things possible, but it is 

people working who get the job done. That 

is the lesson I want my children to embrace.”

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is another 

recipient of Wells Fargo Advisors’ generosity. 

The Tyler branch provided thousands in 

support over the past five years. Cystic 

Fibrosis is a disease affecting the lungs and 

digestive system. A generation ago, the life 

expectancy of children with CF was eighteen 

years. Advancements made through research 

changed that prognosis in the last thirty 

years. Today, CF patients are living well 

into their thirties and forties. Even greater 

prospects are on the horizon as advancements 

continue to be made. 

A project that exemplifies the diversity of 

charitable projects embraced by Wells Fargo 

Advisors is the Texas Ramp Project. In a 

few hours on a Saturday morning, volunteers 

gather at the home of a person who is wheelchair 

bound, and they build a ramp. “The 

Texas Ramp Project gives these folks the 

freedom to leave their home again—instead 

of being imprisoned,” says Greg. “We at 

Wells Fargo Advisors have been fortunate to 

be part of the Texas Ramp Project. In just 

the past year, they built more than seventysix 

ramps.” 

Christian Women’s Job Corp is an organization 

that prepares women to take their 

place in the workplace by providing comprehensive 

life skills and job training. Within 

a Christian context, the organization helps 

women move from dependency to selfsufficiency. 

Wells Fargo Advisors decided to 

help their cause by giving them thousands in 

financial assistance. 

The Salvation Army has been a recipient 

of not only money, but also the blood of 

employees who participated in the Carter 

BloodCare drive. “The life blood of our 

employees is equally as important as the 

monetary donations we give,” says Senior 

Vice President of Wells Fargo Advisors, 

Brandon Johnston. 

While the corporate commitment is 

important, Greg strongly believes the role of 

the individual makes a difference. “There are 

two ways to grow your business. One is just 

advertise and blitz, the other is do what’s 

right and the business will come,” Greg 

explains his philosophy on giving, “And the 

giving back to the community comes under 

that category. So, we have an obligation to 

Wells Fargo clients and the Wells Fargo 

shareholders, and the way to serve both, 

shareholders and clients, is to give to the 

community. The clients win, we get more 

clients—Wells Fargo wins. I am lucky to 

work for a company that shares my values,” 

says Greg. 

To learn more about Wells Fargo Advisors, 

please visit www.wellsfargoadvisors.com. 


89

JUNIOR LEAGUE 

OF TYLER, INC. 

Right: The Tyler Service League. 

Below: League members show off their 

uniforms in March 1951. 

Throughout the year, money is raised, 

food is donated and volunteers are directed 

across Tyler by the dozens of charitable 

organizations. The people of Tyler and East 

Texas depend on these organizations; and 

many of these organizations depend on the 

Junior League of Tyler, Inc. 

The Junior League of Tyler, Inc., is an 

organization of women committed to promoting 

voluntarism, developing the potential 

of women and improving communities 

through the effective action and leadership of 

trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively 

educational and charitable. 

Recognizing a need for organized volunteer 

service in a rapidly growing city with ever 

changing needs, thirteen civic-minded women 

met in February of 1950 to make preliminary 

plans for the organization of the Tyler Service 

League. In May 1950, the Tyler Service League 

gathered for an organizational meeting with its 

thirteen sponsors and thirty-two charter members 

in attendance. The immediate goals of the 

organization were to serve and strengthen the 

Tyler community and to become a member of 

the national organization of the Junior League. 

On February 1, 1960, the Tyler Service League 

was admitted to the Association of Junior 

Leagues of America. 

Today, the Junior League of Tyler, Inc., with 

its 215 active and provisional members and 

475 sustaining members, continues to be an 

organization of women committed to promoting 

voluntarism and improving the community 

through the effective action and leadership 

of trained volunteers. To date, the Junior League 

of Tyler, Inc., has given back more than 

$7.5 million, and hundreds of thousands of 

volunteer hours, to better the community. In 

2016 alone, the League will contribute over 

20,000 volunteer hours and over $290,000 to 


90

worthy community projects and endeavors. 

The League fundraising activities include a 

biennial Rummage Sale “Spring Sweep,” three 

cookbooks: And Roses for the Table, Cooking 

Through Rose-Colored Glasses; Ring Around the 

Rosie; a children’s book Goodnight Rose City, 

and the annual Mistletoe & Magic holiday 

shopping market. 

diligently for years and has been instrumental 

in the founding of the Hospice of East Texas, 

Stewart Regional Blood Center, Discovery 

Science Place, Tyler Teen Court and Tyler 

Museum of Art. 

In more than sixty-five years of service, 

members of the League have donated literally 

millions of hours and raised important 

dollars that have directly contributed to the 

wellbeing of our community. 

Top: The Stewart Regional Blood Center. 

Above: Contract signing with agencies in 

our community. 

Left: The children’s book cover of 

Goodnight Rose City. 

Below: Working in the community with 

some of our partnering agencies. 

This work is done by over 300 volunteers 

working as a nonprofit organization with 

almost 700 members who currently serve 

seventeen agencies benefiting Smith County. 

The Junior League of Tyler, Inc., has worked 


91

TURTLE ISLAND 

STAND UP PADDLEBOARDING 

Sometimes, there is a time and a place that 

is perfect for a venture to arise and to take 

the shapes of the dreams of its founders. 

Turtle Island Stand Up Paddleboarding is 

one of these, emerging in 2014 

from a place of passion, joy 

and celebration of life lived to 

the fullest. 

In 1990, Debbie Cunningham 

married her husband Joe, an 

athlete and outdoor enthusiast. 

About a year after they were 

married, they welcomed a 

family into their fun and active 

lifestyle with new son, Joseph— 

who everyone calls JoJo, and 

who was also diagnosed with 

Autism Spectrum Disorder at a 

young age, contributing to his seemingly 

boundless energy. His father would regularly 

tell JoJo that he believed God had made 

him with a purpose and continually searched 

for a way to funnel JoJo’s energy into a productive 

objective. A naturally athletic family 

with a love for the outdoors, they gravitated 

toward shared activities like cycling and 

competitive fitness training. Before coming 

to East Texas, Joe had lived in Hawaii for 

several years and developed an affinity for 

stand up paddleboarding, a hybrid of surfing 

and kayaking, which involves standing upright 

on an oversized surfboard and paddling with 

a single bladed paddle. 

Joe always wished for the chance to go 

back to Hawaii with his family and introduce 

them to the sport he had loved. When JoJo 

graduated from high school in 2010, the 

family traveled to Hawaii and discovered paddleboarding 

together. When the Cunninghams 

returned to Tyler, they purchased boards of 

their own and took to the waters of Lake Tyler 

with frequency. 

As they got better and better, they began 

to feel a desire to spread this sport to the people 

of Tyler and beyond. Mirroring his father’s 

love for the sport, JoJo dove headfirst in paddleboarding. 

For JoJo’s twenty-first birthday 

in 2012, his parents reached out to friends in 

the SUP community and procured JoJo’s first 

stand up paddleboard. With his own board in 

hand, JoJo’s love for the sport grew stronger. 

Joe began to form an idea in his mind, a 

potential course for his son that could join 

his love of athletics and paddleboarding to 

create the potential for a future and a career. 

After graduating from high school, JoJo 

held several positions without much longterm 

luck. He desired independence and to 

be a productive member of the workforce, 

but had not been able to find the right fit. 

Joe began to put together a plan for a SUP 

business that would introduce, instruct and 

guide new paddleboarders in the Tyler area. 

He saw the joy and physical fitness it 

brought, and believed, given the chance, 

the people of Tyler would fall in love too. 

He even came up with a name for his new 

venture: he called it Turtle Island, after a 


92

poem by one of his favorite authors, Gary 

Snyder. As fate would have it, Joe would 

not get the chance to see Turtle Island come 

to fruition. In 2012, Joe was involved in 

an accident that took his life. Debbie and 

JoJo were devastated, and when their family 

needed healing they turned to the sport they 

spent many hours delighting in together. 

Just a few months after his father’s passing, 

JoJo decided to participate in his first competitive 

standup paddleboard competition, 

the Waterman’s Paddle For Humanity in 

Austin. He said that he wanted to race “in 

honor of his father and for the glory of God.” 

With limited experience and no formal 

training, JoJo shocked the field to finish third 

in his division. Her son’s achievement, his 

drive and example of perseverance that day 

was a catalyst for Debbie: she resolved to 

see Joe’s visions for Turtle Island Stand Up 

Paddleboarding become a reality. 

Over the next year, Debbie and her son 

worked to make Turtle Island happen. They 

formed the LLC, bought boards and a trailer 

to store and transport them. She and JoJo 

pursued further expert training to become 

certified instructors. Perhaps most poignantly, 

they attended the “Danny Ching Race Clinic” 

in Austin where they were able to train in 

person with the paddleboard world champion 

Joe had spent so much time studying to help 

teach his family the sport that still bound 

them together. On March 29, 2014, less than 

two years after the sudden loss of Joe, Debbie 

and JoJo held a ribbon cutting ceremony 

and demonstration day to officially launch 

Turtle Island. 

Today the formerly mobile unit 

is firmly planted on Lake Tyler off 

McElroy and offers paddleboard 

rentals and lessons, along with SUP 

fitness classes, group classes and 

tours, yoga and even party rentals. 

Turtle Island Stand Up Paddleboarding 

is a member of the Tyler Chamber of 

Commerce and the Better Business 

Bureau. JoJo provides most demonstrations, 

supported by advanced 

knowledge and skill in the sport. The 

Cunningham’s vision for Turtle Island 

is to provide a unifying and strengthening 

family-oriented activity, and 

they hope to bring a competitive race 

to Lake Tyler soon. But more than 

those goals, Debbie wants Turtle Island to 

provide JoJo with a long-term opportunity 

for a career where he can meld his strengths 

and passion, and to be truly valued for what 

he brings to work and to clients every day. 

She says this is a venture in honor of JoJo’s 

father, and of her beloved husband and of 

faith in Christ Jesus with our confidence set 

firmly in Him. 

Turtle Island Stand Up Paddleboarding is 

located at 16538 McElroy Road in Whitehouse. 

Call 903-805-8415 or visit the Internet at 

www.turtleislandsup.com. 


93

VASSO & 

ASSOCIATES 

Above: Left to right, Tom Healey, 

Derek Meller CRPC ® , Paige Hudson, 

Neal Vasso CFP ® APMA ® , Pamela Wing 

and Brian Hinton. 


94 

Helping someone determine their financial 

future is something of a calling. Planning and 

understanding an individual’s financial goals 

demands the highest levels of skill, preparation 

and consideration. When Neal Vasso CFP ® , 

APMA ® , founded Vasso & Associates in 1996, 

at the age of twenty-eight, providing that 

service was exactly the kind of mission he 

wished to undertake. “I had worked for 

other companies but knew that I wanted to 

start my own,” said Vasso. “After careful 

planning and saving, I took that leap almost 

twenty years ago. I knew I wanted to work 

with individuals and help them achieve their 

financial goals.” 

Vasso chose Ameriprise Financial for its 

singular and historically tested vision: to help 

ordinary Americans achieve their financial 

dreams and to feel confident about their 

futures. “Throughout their long history, 

Ameriprise has remained steadfast to this 

vision of putting the clients’ needs first, 

always,” said Vasso. “Over the years, we’ve 

helped millions of people invest billions of 

dollars for what’s important to them. Today, 

Ameriprise is America’s largest financial planning 

company and a leading global financial 

institution, with more than $800 billion in 

assets under management and administration.” 

Like most entrepreneurs looking to start 

a business—and with the work ethic to 

turn that dream into reality—in the beginning 

Vasso was working 100-plus hours a week 

and doing almost everything on his own. 

Today that same work ethic and drive for 

success is still evident at Vasso & Associates. 

The achievements and awards on the shelves 

demonstrate their dedication and commitment. 

The success of Vasso & Associates happened 

quickly after Vasso founded the organization 

in 1996. Just two years after the business 

began, Vasso & Associates was recognized by 

Ameriprise in the Circle of Success, and that 

was only the beginning. Since 2000, Vasso & 

Associates has been in the top ten percent of 

Ameriprise Financial Services groups. In 2005, 

Vasso & Associates climbed up to the top 

two percent and now has been in the top one 

percent since 2012. Vasso and his team at 

Vasso & Associates have not only been recognized 

within Ameriprise Financial Services but 

also by D Magazine and the five-star Wealth 

Management Award every year since 2009.

“I believe a major key to success is gaining 

more knowledge and being innovative,” 

Vasso said. “That’s why everyone on our 

team is always striving to learn more, taking 

additional education certifications and 

trainings to keep up-to-date in the everchanging 

world.” 

Vasso & Associates employs 3 advisors, 

5 full-time and 4 part-time employees who 

work together to manage a client base of individual 

families and small businesses. In 2001, 

Vasso moved the branch headquarters to 

Tyler, Texas, a community where he and his 

wife, Stephanie, wanted to raise their family. 

In 2007, Vasso purchased and renovated his 

current location on Broadway, near downtown 

Tyler. Vasso & Associates helps clients get 

a clear road map for their future with the 

Confident Retirement ® approach by covering 

essentials, ensuring your lifestyle, preparing 

for the unexpected and leaving a legacy. Vasso 

and his team will listen to your goals and 

dreams, create a personalized financial plan 

and track your progress over time, helping 

you to change and grow along the way. They 

will give you access to numerous investment 

options and brokerage account types, so you 

can build a portfolio expertly designed to help 

you achieve your financial goals. With over 

sixty years of combined experience, the advisors 

of Vasso & Associates possess the tools 

and knowledge to help navigate clients to 

their goals through whatever events lay ahead. 

“It’s rewarding to work with clients developing 

a financial plan for their future and 

then to see their kids go to college and our 

clients enter into retirement,” Vasso said. 

“At Vasso & Associates, we believe that clients 

come first. My team and I are also there to 

help when life events happen and can guide 

them through the finances. Whether you 

are retired, near retirement, or accumulating 

assets for your financial goals, we are here to 

help. Our attention to detail and desire to 

have best in class service will guide you 

toward financial independence. We take pride 

in listening to your goals and dreams, and 

in developing a customized plan to help 

you achieve them. With thoughtful and open 

communication, we have had great success 

in getting clients to their desired destination.” 

Vasso & Associates sees their clients as 

friends and neighbors. They are helping 

them build their financial success and wealth 

transfer. The team at Vasso & Associates take 

great pride in their involvement in numerous 

civic and charity organizations. They give of 

themselves and the company’s resources to 

better the community they call home through 

their work with Hiway 80 Rescue Mission, 

Bishop Gorman Regional Catholic School, 

Marvin United Methodist Church, Chi Alpha 

Campus Ministries, Boy Scouts of America– 

Troop 369, Historic Tyler, Heart of Tyler, 

SKAD Inc., Feeding America and the East 

Texas Food Bank. 

Vasso & Associates are located at 320 

South Broadway, Suite 400 and on the 

Internet at www.VassoAndAssociates.com. 

Vasso & Associates, a private wealth 

advisory practice of Ameriprise Financial 

Services, Inc. 

Above: National Day of Volunteering at the 

East Texas Food Bank. 

Below: Neal and Stephanie Vasso 

and family. 


95

CAMP FORD 

HISTORICAL 

ASSOCIATION, 

INC. 

EAST TEXAS 

HERITAGE 

MUSEUM 

ASSOCIATION 


96 

Among the many unknown or more 

specifically untold stories in Tyler, Texas, 

history is that of Camp Ford, the largest 

Civil War Prisoner of War Camp located west 

of the Mississippi. In order to tell that story 

to generations to come, and to preserve its 

history for today and beyond, the group 

charged with that mission, the Camp Ford 

Historical Association, also known as the 

East Texas Heritage Museum Association, 

was founded in the spring of 1998. 

The roots go back to when the Texas 

State Historical Commission was founded 

as the Texas State Historical Survey in 1954 

by F. Lee Lawrence and others,” explained 

Association Board President D. M. Edwards. 

“In 1963, Mr. Lawrence and Dr. Robert 

W. Glover wrote a book called Camp Ford 

CSA, which is the definitive history of Camp 

Ford. That book began the increased interest 

in Camp Ford locally. Lee led the efforts 

to obtain acreage where Camp Ford Park is 

today and preserve it for future generations.” 

When he established the current modern 

historical markers in the state we all recognize 

(the cast aluminum roadside signs), 

the first one was done here at Camp Ford. 

The association initially operated under 

the umbrella of the Smith County Historical 

Society, before appearing in its current 

independent form and founded in memory 

of Lee Lawrence, who passed away in 

1996. “The purpose of this is two-fold,” 

said Edwards. “That is to say educational 

and historic preservation and also historic 

interpretation. We work to preserve the 

history of Camp Ford and develop a museum 

and information center pertaining to Camp 

Ford. We want to cooperate with schools, 

educational institutions and museums to 

help create and augment historic education 

programs to expand the view and understanding 

of Tyler and Texas History.” 

The Association has an educational videotape 

series, which is available for purchase by 

the public, and may be ordered at 

www.campford.us. They also offer presentations—quarterly 

educational forums—at the 

Tyler Chamber of Commerce Genecov Room. 

There is also a published newsletter for 

members. In recent years, the Association 

has been raising funds to establish an historical 

museum for the East Texas region. 

“Currently, the Association boasts more than 

300 members, and we hold on to some 

incredible, interesting stories from history,” 

said Edwards. “The first baseball game in 

Texas was played there in the stockades, 

by a relative of Abner Doubleday who was 

being held as a prisoner. Prisoners had 

to build their own shelters within the 

compound, and they even laid out streets 

within the compound and published their 

own newspaper.” 

Currently, the Association is in the process 

of raising funds and evaluating potential 

locations for the East Texas Heritage 

Museum—a large facility to house permanent 

exhibits, a research library, and with exhibits 

rotating throughout the year, with sufficient 

parking for museum guests. “The museum 

will allow us to cover the history of 

East Texas, not just Smith County,” said 

Edwards. “We are working with other cities’ 

historical societies, looking to establish a 

regional hub.” 

Through the work of the Association 

Board, the East Texas Heritage Museum is 

on its way to being realized, and the work 

of Edwards and every member is unceasing.

The Camp Ford Historical Association is a 

longtime sustaining member of the East Texas 

Historical Association, which is operated 

out of Stephen F. Austin State University in 

Nacogdoches. They are also a member of the 

Texas Association of Museums, and a longstanding 

member of the Tyler Area Chamber. 

“We have embarked on this most ambitious 

effort to secure financial support for 

the Camp Ford Historical Center and the 

East Texas Heritage Museum,” said Edwards. 

“The history of Camp Ford is fascinating 

and deserves to be told through a worthy 

medium, and through an avenue that 

serves to educate people for all of East Texas. 

This site, and others like it, and the East 

Texas Heritage Museum, will help Tyler to 

continue to grow as a destination and 

point of interest to educators, historians and 

tourists from across the nation.” 


97

CAMP FANNIN 

ASSOCIATION, 

INC. 

Camp Fannin Veterans Memorial. 


98 

Tyler’s past is alive in the present. Tyler’s 

Camp Fannin is one such find that deserves 

our attention. “Camp Fannin was an Army 

infantry training center used to instruct 

military recruits before they were shipped off 

to fight in World War II,” said D. M. Edwards, 

chairman of the Camp Fannin Association. 

“Camp Fannin was operational from May 

of 1943 until the spring of 1946 when it 

transformed into a separation center for 

the soldiers and veterans returning home. 

During its time, Camp Fannin trained 

212,000 infantry soldiers. While operational, 

the encampment covered 16,000 acres and 

included between 20,000 and 30,000 people 

working, training and living. At its peak, 

the size and population of Camp Fannin 

outstripped the population of Tyler. 

Camp Fannin may have only been fully 

functional for a handful of years, but its 

economic influence and historical legacy is 

tremendous for East Texas. Its descendants 

are the East Texas Tuberculosis Sanitarium 

and Chest Hospital, known today as 

UT Health Northeast—the only university 

medical center in our region. 

Today, Camp Fannin is remembered and 

celebrated by the men and women who can 

claim it as a piece of their history. In August 

of 1990 the surviving soldiers and family 

members sought an organization for Camp 

Fannin veterans, and held the first of many 

annual reunions. This marked the founding of 

the Camp Fannin Association, an organization 

enacted with the purpose of telling the 

story of Camp Fannin and interpreting its 

history to future generations. Its commitment 

includes an association of veterans and 

descendants, the annual reunion, the 

publication of an informative history book 

and the building and maintenance of the 

Camp Fannin Memorial. Also, the Smith 

County Commissioners Court designated 

part of U.S. Highway 271 as the Camp Fannin 

Memorial Highway. 

The Association has provided funding 

for the Memorial Plaza, benches and Camp 

Fannin statue. This also includes a $30,000 

endowment with University of Texas System 

Board of Regents for maintenance. The 

Association has large collections of artifacts, 

training equipment, photos and more, and 

wishes to display them in a future museum. 

Currently, the Association has roughly 300 

members, down from 900 at the fiftieth 

anniversary reunion. As the association 

numbers dwindle, its purpose grows more 

vital—preserving history. “If there wasn’t an 

effort made, all that history would be lost,” 

said Edwards. “It is essential that we carry 

on this story, because Camp Fannin had a 

tremendous impact on the East Texas area, 

and we are still seeing effects of it three 

quarters of a century later.”

In 1926 the Tyler Public School System 

established Tyler Junior College to give 

residents of Smith and Van Zandt Counties 

access to higher education. During its first 

ten years and in the midst of the Great 

Depression, TJC offered courses in liberal 

arts, music and home economics to an 

average of 200 students per year. 

Today, the TJC District includes Chapel 

Hill, Grand Saline, Lindale, Tyler, Van and 

Winona Independent School Districts. In 

addition, the college provides access to eleven 

other school districts located in its service 

area. TJC offers approximately 100 associate 

degrees and certificate programs in the 

following schools: Professional and Technical 

Programs; Nursing and Health Sciences; 

Engineering, Mathematics and Sciences; and 

Humanities, Communications and Fine Arts. 

More than 11,500 credit students and approximately 

20,000 continuing education students 

are enrolled at TJC each year. 

Due to a growing demand for 

highly trained healthcare professionals 

in East Texas, Tyler Junior College 

emphasized increased enrollment 

and graduates of its nursing and 

health sciences programs through 

expansion to other regional locations 

including TJC-Jacksonville, 

TJC-Lindale and TJC-Rusk, all of 

which offer some type of nursing or 

health sciences program and have 

expanded access to the college by 

adding as many as 750 new enrollments 

per year (as of fall 2010). 

Just in time for the spring 2015 semester, the 

doors opened on the Robert M. Rogers Nursing 

& Health Sciences Center, Tyler Junior College’s 

most ambitious construction project to date. 

At approximately 150,000 square feet, the 

Rogers Nursing & Health Sciences Center 

allows for the gradual expansion of the associate 

degree nursing program by fifty percent 

and the dental hygiene program by twentyfive 

percent. 

The new space has allowed the addition of 

new programs, including occupational therapy 

assistant, wellness and exercise specialist, 

physical therapist assistant, dental assisting, 

community health worker and polysomnography 

(sleep study). 

Features include the latest in simulation 

laboratories, as well as technology-enhanced 

classrooms that allow students to receive 

training on new, advanced equipment and 

have access to universal, digital medical 

records and information. 

The $50-million center was funded with 

a $25-million bond issue that voters 

approved in May 2012, plus student fees and 

private contributions. 

“Students who pass through this facility 

will have the very best medical training by our 

top-notch faculty using the latest technology,” 

TJC President Dr. Mike Metke said. 

“This is a great fit for Tyler. Tyler is a 

medical destination, and now we’re going to 

be a medical training destination. People will 

come to TJC to get the very best in medical 

training, and many of them will stay and 

work in Tyler and take care of us.” 

TYLER JUNIOR 

COLLEGE 

Above: TJC’s new Robert M. Rogers Nursing 

& Health Sciences Center houses the latest 

in medical training technology and students 

learn on the exact equipment that they will 

use after they graduate and get jobs in their 

chosen medical fields. 

Below: Jenkins Hall is Tyler Junior College’s 

oldest and most recognizable building. 

Dotted with stately, eighty year old oak 

trees, Jenkins Hall lawn is undoubtedly one 

of the most picturesque places on campus. 


99

FIRSTCHOICE 

COOPERATIVE 

Tyler’s medical community certainly stands 

out in East Texas. While there are many talented 

individuals, there is simply a strength in the 

numbers of a community that cannot be overstated. 

It is with a sense of commercial community 

in mind that FirstChoice Cooperative 

was founded in 1996 by ETMCRHS President 

and CEO Elmer Ellis and ETMCRHS Corporate 

Vice President Freddie Sanchez. 

FirstChoice Cooperative is a nonprofit corporation 

created to establish an association of 

healthcare providers, city and county, businesses, 

school districts and universities as a 

cooperative with emphasis on the administrative 

function of group purchasing for all the 

members of the corporation. “We exist to provide 

a process for all providers, regardless of 

size, to reduce supply cost in our communities 

where we live and work while maintaining the 

highest level of quality,” said Chief Operating 

Officer of FCC, Ron Kethan. 

After thirty-five sole-source manufacturer 

agreements in its first year and increasing 

membership to fifteen in first eighteen 

months of operation, FCC expanded its reach 

across the nation. Members now include 

hospitals, healthcare facilities, clinics, home 

health, reference labs, EMS, community businesses, 

municipalities and educational institutions. 

In 1998, FirstChoice Management 

Services formed to manage FirstChoice 

Cooperative with national GPO relationship 

terminated. In 1998, FCC received exclusive 

endorsement by the Texas Organization for 

Rural and Community Hospitals with over 

150 member hospitals. 

As the commercial marketplace industry 

rapidly developed, FCC evolved. In 2000, 

electricity was deregulated in Texas and 

FCC aggregated many customers in Tyler, 

extending our portfolio outside healthcare. 

In 2003, along with the GPO Industry, 

FCC implemented its own code of conduct to 

address conflicts of interest, industry and fair 

business practices. 

Over the years, FirstChoice has helped its 

members reduce supply expense as much as 

twenty-five percent with 450 contracts under 

its portfolio. In addition to the savings the 

contracts provide FCC has generated a source 

of revenue with the return of patronage 

dividends. Since 1998, FCC has returned 

$80 million back to its members. 

“FirstChoice continues to add members, 

while increasing member compliance and 

addressing member contract needs,” Kethan 

said. “What began as a regional GPO for a 

handful of hospitals has grown exponentially 

over the years into a national GPO based in 

Tyler. However, we seek to uphold the same 

values and goals that brought us to this place. 

We exist to serve our membership and our 

community.” Those values are represented by 

FCC’s commitment to the Tyler community, 

and each year, they host a membership 

golf event in which all proceeds are donated 

to the pediatric operations of East Texas 

Medical Center. 


100

EAST TEXAS 

BRICK COMPANY 

Morris Cates, president of East Texas Brick 

Company and Patio and Outdoor Center, 

began his foray in the brick business in 

1965, processing orders in the office of an 

Athens brick firm. As he learned more about 

the business, Cates made the move into sales, 

eventually becoming one of the business’ 

top salesmen. 

In 1987, colleague Steve Zagst approached 

him with the idea of opening their own 

company in Tyler. With Cates as president 

and Zagst serving as vice president, the 

two created East Texas Brick Company in 

December 1987. The company specializes 

in brick and stone sales; fireplace and 

accessories, installation and servicing; patio 

furniture and accessories; and gas and 

charcoal grills, accessories and servicing. 

The business started in a small office on 

155 South with just a receptionist, and 

Cates, Zagst and another employee working 

as salesmen. Despite starting a business 

during difficult economic times, in just five 

months the company had outgrown its space 

and required more staff. It relocated to a 

bigger office with a yard, and Cates and Zagst 

hired additional employees. 

By 1989 the economy still had not experienced 

an upswing, and one of East Texas 

Brick’s five employees resigned and began 

working for another brick company because 

he believed East Texas Brick would not 

make it through the winter. That spring, 

he returned and asked for his job back. 

He stayed with the company until his 

retirement in 2010. 

The business continued to grow in the 

early 1990s, warranting a move to its current 

location at 3901 South Southwest Loop 323. 

The company also earned the opportunity to 

be the major dealer for one of the largest 

brick companies in the nation. East Texas 

Brick now represents more than thirty of the 

finest brick, natural and manmade stone companies 

in the U.S. and has more than forty 

employees who serve Tyler, East Texas and 

parts of Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. 

The company credits its success to its 

hardworking employees and loyal customer 

base. Employees have started out working 

in the yard and climbed their way up to 

management and outsides sales positions. 

Customers have stood by the business as 

well, even when the economy was deteriorating, 

many continued to buy East Texas 

Brick’s products. Each year the company 

shows its appreciation to those customers 

with Brickfest, a large celebration complete 

with hors d’oeuvres, crawfish and barbecue. 

As Cates approaches retirement, his daughter, 

Suzanne Kunzman is assuming more of 

his duties. She and General Manager Buddy 

Gresham will take over the company’s reins 

and continue East Texas Brick’s tradition of 

bringing Tyler the very best products and 

services around. 

For more information about East Texas 

Brick Company, please visit their website at 

www.etbrick.com or call 903-581-0002. 

Above: Morris Cates and Suzanne Kunzman. 

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF KELSEY LEA. 


101

TYLER AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 

Tyler is the economic hub of east Texas. 

With 100,000 residents and a daytime 

population that reaches 250,000, Tyler has 

a vibrant business community that is supported 

by the work of the Tyler Area 

Chamber of Commerce. 

Since 1900 the mission of the chamber has 

been to enhance the business environment, 

the economic well-being and quality 

of life for the Tyler area. With more than 

2,100 members, which include businesses, 

organizations and individuals, the chamber’s 

activities are focused on the interests of the 

business community. 

The work of the chamber is accomplished 

primarily through the commitment of the 

elected board of directors and members’ 

work on committees, with support from the 

chamber’s professional staff. 

Committees that promote the goals of the 

area development council include the aviation 

committee, which promotes the improvement, 

maintenance and expansion of air 

transportation. The energy committee promotes 

growth of the oil and gas sector. 

Working closely with officials at the local, 

state and national levels, members of the 

governmental affairs committee represent the 

mission, goals and objectives of the chamber. 

Ground transportation is promoted through 

the members of the surface transportation 

committee and the veterans committee work 

to promote benefits for local veterans. 

The business development council includes 

six committees: Education/human resources 

supports the development of quality education 

and training opportunities. Hispanic 

business alliance committee members assist 

new and growing Hispanic businesses with 

planning and growth strategies. The medical 

committee promotes all aspects of the 

medical industry. Members of the senior 

resource development committee have 

developed a plan to attract retirees and 

involve this group in the chamber activities. 

The growth of technology, telecommunications 

and biotechnology are the focus of 

the work of the technology committee. The 

young professionals networking committee 

supports emerging leaders with opportunities 

to connect and grow. The business education 

council is a liaison between the education 

and business community and seeks to 

improve education outcomes to support 

business and economic development. 

Included under the Tyler Convention and 

Visitors Bureau umbrella are the SPORTyler 

Committee whose members focus on attracting 

sporting events to Tyler as well as the 

tourism committee, which sponsors and 

promotes local events to attract tourists. 

Membership in the chamber provides 

many benefits and includes opportunities to 

network with other area business leaders and 

to promote a member’s business at events and 

special activities that take place throughout 

the year. 

The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce in 

partnership with other local organizations, 

and supported by the work of its members, 

is committed to promoting the business 

environment for the Tyler/Smith County area. 


102

Tyler is lucky to be home to a number 

of businesses who have contributed to the 

culture of East Texas at various points 

throughout the last century. Austin Bank is 

one of those players serving the financial 

needs of Tylerites and all of East Texas. 

Operating under an original charter from 

1900, Austin Bank’s mission remains consummately 

straightforward: community bankers 

providing exceptional service. 

Already possessing a prominent presence 

throughout East Texas, Austin Bank entered 

the Tyler market in 1986 as an Investment 

Center operating out of First National Bank 

of Whitehouse. The location became a 

full-service bank in 1987 and due to rapid 

deposit and loan growth outgrew their original 

location and moved to 611 South 

Beckham. Following this success, additional 

offices were opened on Old Bullard Road in 

1996, on West Loop 323 in 2004, and in 

Downtown Tyler in 2005. Tyler’s newest office 

was opened in 2007 in Cumberland Park on 

South Broadway, primed to meet the needs of 

the growing South Tyler area. 

The bank’s history in Tyler is undergirded 

by longstanding tradition. Austin Bank is 

locally owned and operated by the Austin 

family who celebrates over 107 years of service 

to the Texas banking industry. For four 

generations, the Austin family has realized 

the need to maintain a bank that would 

provide the financial stability and trust to 

contribute to the growth and prosperity of 

the communities they serve. Through war, the 

Great Depression and the turbulence of an oil 

boom, the Austins brought honor to the banking 

profession with strong leadership, active 

involvement in the community and enduring 

relationships with customers and employees. 

The Austin Bank legacy has been the result of 

many years of hard work, adherence to the 

founding principles of honor and integrity, 

prudent decision making and dedication to 

East Texas. The bank’s actions have always 

been in the best long-term interests of their 

customers, employees and shareholders. 

The Austin family has personified banking 

in East Texas since 1909 when John F. Austin, 

Sr., became a founder and president of First 

State Bank of Frankston. Family involvement 

continued through John and Sallie Austin’s 

son, Jeff Austin, Sr., and today through his 

children, Jeff Austin, Jr., and Jane A. Chapman. 

(Jeff Austin, Jr., currently serves as chairman 

of the board for the bank and Jane A. Chapman 

serves on the board.) Jeff Austin III, vice chairman 

of the board, brings a fourth generation 

of leadership. 

The bank’s allegiance to the communities 

it serves continues to manifest itself through 

contributions in direct support of local education, 

the arts, literacy, health and housing 

needs as well as countless hours of volunteer 

service given by Austin Bank employees. 

Employee participation is encouraged in civic 

organizations throughout their communities, 

and many serve as board members of nonprofit 

entities sharing their knowledge and 

leadership skills. 

Austin Bank’s loyalty to the 

community begins first with their 

dedication to their employees. “The 

people of Austin Bank have always 

been, and will always be, our greatest 

strength,” shares Jeff Austin III. 

“We appreciate their commitment 

to the bank’s success and to providing 

the best possible service to our 

customers. We are humbled by the 

time and financial resources they 

give in partnership with the bank to support 

the East Texas communities we serve.” The 

bank is privileged to have been named one of 

the Best Companies to Work for in Texas for 

eight consecutive years—2009 to 2016—and 

hopes to continue this tradition as honorees 

are comprised of 100 companies, which 

benefit the state’s economy, its workforce, 

and businesses. 

AUSTIN BANK 

Above: Three generations of Texas 

bankers—Jeff Austin, Jr., Jeff Austin, Sr., 

and Jeff Austin III. 

Below: Tyler Cumberland Park location. 


103

Above: Back row, left to right, Jim 

Gomillion, Rusty Bundy, Darin Newhouse, 

Rodney Overman and Darin Cowart. 

Middle row, Rick Allen, Gary Penkilo, 

Jeff Moore, Rick Jett and Jeff Geese. 

Front row, Kristy Everitt, Ginny Ragland, 

Adrienne Deason, Jana Broussard and 

Kay Latta. 

Below: Left to right, Robert Peters and 

Lester Henry. 

Founded in 1929 on 

TRUST and INTEGRITY. 


104 

HENRY & PETERS, P.C. 

Since its founding nearly ninety years 

ago, Henry & Peters, P.C. has provided 

quality tax, audit, and advisory services in 

East Texas and beyond. The firm’s mission 

is to provide the highest level of professionalism 

in every service it offers, and to be a 

trusted advisor respected for its contribution 

to the long-term success of its clients, 

employees, and community. 

In 1929, Lester Henry founded the 

accounting firm that would later become 

Henry & Peters, P.C. Approximately four 

years later, East Texas was in the midst of an 

oil boom with the discovery of the Daisy 

Bradford Well. Faced with a surplus of work, 

Henry’s brother-in-law, Robert K. Peters, 

joined the firm around 1936. 

Henry & Peters was first located in downtown 

Tyler in the Citizen’s Bank Building, 

one of three major banks in town at the time. 

Later, Citizen’s Bank was imploded and a 

new bank building was constructed in its 

place. While awaiting completion of the 

new building, the firm temporarily relocated 

just down the hall from the Tyler Petroleum 

Club, a major center for lunch and afterwork 

dinner parties. With continued growth, 

the firm moved to its current location on 

South Broadway in 1983. 

In the 1950s, Henry & Peters was primarily 

an oil and gas accounting firm. 

Since many of its clients were moving to the 

Midland area, Henry & Peters briefly operated 

a satellite office there, and closed it when 

the oil boom settled. Today, the firm has 

offices in Tyler and Longview, and serves 

more than 7,000 clients in a highly diverse 

mix of industries throughout East Texas and 

surrounding regions, including the Dallas/ 

Fort Worth Metroplex area. It has expanded 

its service offerings to encompass related 

needs such as estate planning, business 

valuation, and fraud investigation. 

Henry & Peters has more than 100 

employees and fourteen partners with more 

than 300 years of professional accounting 

experience. Its certified public accountants 

have varied backgrounds and experience 

with international and local firms, and 

diverse industries. They are a passionate, 

highly active group who devote countless 

hours to the community. 

The firm has a history of charitable 

involvement with more than 100 local and 

national organizations, including United 

Way, American Cancer Society/Cattle Baron’s, 

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Boy Scouts 

of America, Alzheimer’s Alliance of Tyler, 

Children’s Miracle Network, Cystic Fibrosis 

Foundation, Hospice of East Texas, East 

Texas Food Bank, East Texas Crisis Center, 

and many more. Its biggest commitments 

involve organizations that promote education, 

a passion of the firm since its early days. 

Henry & Peters has achieved a longevity 

and level of respect few others can rival. 

For nearly ninety years, the business has 

met its clients’ needs and exceeded their 

expectations without compromising the 

viability of the firm or its people. Such 

accomplishments can be attributed to the 

benevolent, unselfish nature of the company’s 

owners, from its earliest days to present, 

who look toward the success of the firm 

as a whole instead of their own. 

Please visit the company’s website at 

www.henrypeters.com for more information 

about Henry & Peters, P.C.

Tyler State College, now The University of 

Texas at Tyler, was founded in 1971, after State 

Representative Billy Williamson and attorney 

Harry Loftis, among others, campaigned for 

a senior college in East Texas that would 

prepare junior college students for additional 

educational and career opportunities. 

The college’s first location was at the 

Oran Roberts Junior High School on East 

Berta and faculty offices were added in a 

house across the street and in the old Safeway 

building on West Locust. A new campus 

was constructed at its current location 

3900 University Boulevard. 

The college was renamed Texas Eastern 

University in 1975. The university became 

The University of Texas at Tyler in 1979 by 

joining the renowned UT System. The institution 

has grown to a current enrollment of 

8,785 students and 929 full-time employees. 

UT Tyler’s vision is to be nationally recognized 

for its quality education in the professions 

and in the humanities, arts and sciences, 

and for its distinctive core curriculum. The 

university offers more than ninety degree 

programs, with the top ten being nursing, 

education, management, psychology, accounting, 

marketing, finance, biology, history, 

and health and kinesiology. Guided by an 

outstanding and supportive faculty, its graduates 

will understand and appreciate human 

diversity and the global nature of the new 

millennium. They will think critically, act 

with honesty and integrity, and demonstrate 

proficiency in leadership, communication 

skills, and the use of technology. 

UT Tyler is committed to providing a setting 

for free inquiry and expects excellence in 

the teaching, research, artistic performances, 

and professional public service provided by 

its faculty, staff, and students. As a community 

of scholars, the university develops the 

individual’s critical thinking skills, appreciation 

of the arts, humanities and sciences, 

international understanding for participation 

in the global society, professional knowledge 

and skills to enhance economic productivity, 

and commitment to lifelong learning. 

Within an environment of academic freedom, 

students learn from faculty scholars 

who have nationally recognized expertise in 

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER 

the arts and sciences, and in such professions 

as engineering, public administration, education, 

business, health sciences, and technology. 

The faculty engages in research and creative 

activity, both to develop and maintain their 

own scholarly expertise and to extend human 

knowledge. The results of that research and 

other creative efforts are made available to 

students in the classroom and to the general 

public through publication, technology transfer, 

and public service activities. The institution 

also seeks to serve individuals who desire to 

enhance their professional development, broaden 

their perspectives, or enrich their lives. 

In addition to its Tyler campus, UT Tyler has 

campuses in Palestine, Longview, and Houston. 

For more information, visit www.uttyler.edu. 

Top: UT Tyler Riter Millennium Carillon 

Tower and Plaza. 

Above: The University of Texas at Tyler. 


105

TEXAS COLLEGE 


106 

Texas College is a historically black college 

founded on January 9, 1894, by a group 

of Christian Methodist Episcopal Church 

ministers. The college’s mission, which 

continues to embody the principles of the 

Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, is 

to ensure that the student body experiences 

balanced intellectual, psychological, social 

and spiritual development, aimed at enabling 

them to become active productive members 

of society where they live and work. 

Texas College was created out of a desire 

by the CME Church to establish a college in 

Texas. The college received its original charter 

in the spring of 1894. It began in a four-room 

frame house on the property where it exists 

today at 2404 North Grand Avenue and had 

just six students. By the end of the year, 

enrollment increased to thirty-six students. 

Initial educational offerings began with theology, 

music, training of teachers, commercial 

and industrial training and agricultural and 

mechanical sciences. The first principal of the 

college was Professor Samuel Allen Coffin, 

who was assisted by his wife, Bessie Coffin, 

and the Reverend I. S. Person. 

On June 12, 1909, the name of the college 

was changed from Texas College to Phillips 

University, in honor of Bishop Henry Phillips. 

The name change was short lived, and in 

May 1910, the college officially returned to 

its original name. 

Today, Texas College’s name has come to 

represent a 122-year tradition of academic 

excellence, community service, tolerance, 

social responsibility, perseverance and 

integrity. The coeducational, four-year liberal 

arts institution of higher education is open 

to all individuals without discrimination on 

the grounds of national origin, race, religion 

or gender. 

Texas College offers fourteen majors in 

the areas of arts and sciences, humanities, 

natural sciences and social sciences, as well 

as associate of arts and baccalaureate degrees. 

The college also has a teacher education program 

that leads to certification and licensure, 

as well as an alternative certification option 

for students who have already earned a 

bachelor’s degree. Additionally, its SUCCESS 

Program is designed for working students 

who want to enhance their professional 

growth and development with a bachelor’s of 

science degree in business administration. 

Texas College is a member of the National 

Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), 

Division II, the Red River Athletic Conference 

(RRAC) and the Central State Football League 

(CSFL). Its students have the option of 

competing in baseball, basketball (men’s and 

women’s), football, soccer (men’s and women’s), 

softball, track and field, cross country (men’s 

and women’s) and volleyball. 

Financial assistance is available (for those 

who qualify) in the form of various scholarships, 

Pell Grants, Supplemental Education 

Opportunity Grants, Tuition Equalization 

Grants, college work-study and federal loans. 

Texas College is accredited by the Southern 

Association of Colleges and Schools Commission 

on Colleges (SACSCOC). For more information 

on Texas College, visit their website at 

www.texascollege.edu.

PROTHRO, 

WILHELMI & 

COMPANY, 

PLLC 

Prothro, Wilhelmi & Company, PLLC (PW) 

is a leading certified public accounting firm 

based in Tyler, Texas. The firm was founded 

in 1992 by Thomas G. Prothro, CPA who 

with faith, family and a vision dedicated to 

serving his clients, grew the firm from a sole 

entrepreneur to an experienced, professional 

team. Today the firm employs twenty-five 

professional staff who provide outstanding 

personalized service to individuals and 

businesses in the East Texas area. 

The firm’s partners, Managing Partner 

Thomas G. Prothro, CPA; Walter K. Wilhelmi, 

CPA; Robert A. Roseman, CPA; and Kristi A. 

Moore, CPA, each bring unique and diverse 

experiences in an ever-changing tax and 

accounting environment. They believe that 

client relationships based on respect and 

trust, implemented with the utmost confidentiality, 

set the standard for service and 

represent the core values of the firm. The 

dedication of the partners to their talented 

staff empowers the firm to provide extraordinary 

service and expertise in practice areas 

ranging from income tax planning, and 

preparation, to accounting and reporting 

services, to other services such as audits of 

financial statements, internal audit and forensic 

consulting, strategic business planning, 

and estate income tax planning. 

PW’s partners and staff support various 

charities and nonprofit organizations in the 

community. These activities range from 

participation in the Literacy Council of Tyler’s 

Annual Spelling Bee to serving on boards 

and committees, to counting funds at the 

East Texas Crisis Center’s Annual Auto and 

Cycle Show. The firm has been honored as 

an Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation 

by the East Texas Chapter of the Association 

of Fundraising Professionals. 

PW is a faith-based company to which 

the partners and staff are fully committed. 

Emblazoned on the wall outside the front 

door of the office building, and marking the 

bottom of every page on the website you 

will find the scripture verse Matthew 6:33: 

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His 

righteousness, and all these things will be 

added to you.” By actively pursuing these 

values each day, PW has been able to 

serve their clients in a manner that has 

contributed to the firm’s rapid growth in size 

and influence. 

Prothro, Wilhelmi & Company, PLLC is 

located at 6855 Oak Hill Boulevard in Tyler 

and on the Internet at www.pw-tx.com. 

“We believe that by possessing ethical and 

eternal values, a business has infinite potential 

to succeed.” 

Above: The firm’s partners left to right, 

back row, Robert A. Roseman, CPA 

and Thomas G. Prothro, CPA. 

Front row, Kristi A. Moore, CPA and 

Walter K. Wilhelmi, CPA. 


107

BETTER 

BUSINESS 

BUREAU 


108 

For over 100 years, Better Business Bureau 

has helped consumers find and recommend 

businesses, brands, and charities they can 

trust in communities across North America. 

The East Texas Better Business Bureau goes 

beyond simply monitoring the records of local 

merchants and companies. They have spent 

years partnering with local businesses, not 

only making the BBB logo a trustworthy 

symbol, but also connecting the 

brand with a friendly face who 

cares about the community. 

By its mission, BBB provides a 

foundation for ethical standards 

within the business and 

nonprofit community achieved 

by accrediting only those 

organizations who meet the 

highest ethical standards. They 

seek to set the standard for 

marketplace trust, by being the 

voice people turn to confidently 

for assessment. They encourage 

and support best practices by 

engaging with and educating 

consumers and businesses and 

celebrating marketplace role 

models, while also calling out 

and addressing substandard 

workplace behavior. BBB 

undertakes this mission to 

foster a community of 

trustworthy businesses and 

charities, and they have worked 

tirelessly toward this mission 

for more than 100 years. 

Originally, BBB was formed 

by concerned business owners 

who were seeking to stop 

fraudulent advertising by literal 

snake oil salesmen. They 

challenged these unethical 

companies and made their 

findings public. BBB officially 

opened its Tyler offices in 

1985 after years of organizing 

by community leaders. The 

Tyler-based BBB was formed 

with support from the Tyler 

Area Chamber of Commerce 

and 200 East Texas businesses. 

BBB still challenges misleading advertising 

today, but the main focus is to work toward 

consumer confidence in businesses and 

charities through self-regulation. Their hope 

is to create a healthy business climate where 

buyers and sellers can trust each other. 

BBB has grown rapidly over these thirty 

years, expanding from its small Tyler base 

to include a satellite office in Longview, 

providing service to nineteen counties 

through the support of local businesses and 

charities who have met BBB Accreditation 

Standards. With the participation of nearly 

2,700 organizations, BBB Serving Central 

East Texas is the seventh most saturated 

region in the BBB system. 

BBB is a 501c (6) nonprofit organization 

which is supported by BBB Accredited 

Businesses. Their services are free to the public. 

Better Business Bureau Serving Central East 

Texas—Parent organization: Council of Better 

Business Bureaus, headquartered in Arlington, 

Virginia. The Council of Better Business Bureaus 

is the umbrella organization for the local, 

independent BBBs in the United States, Canada 

and Mexico, as well as home to its national 

programs on dispute resolution, advertising 

review, and industry self-regulation.

Camp Tyler Outdoor School (CTOS) started 

as a wonderful dream that has become a 385 

acre treasure on the shores of picturesque Lake 

Tyler. Conceived by the Tyler Kiwanis, with 

help from D. K. and Lottie Caldwell, the idea 

began as a simple project to create a location 

for the Camp Fire Boys and Girls to have summer 

camp. As word grew, other civic organizations 

joined with an eye to include additional 

participation in youth summer camps. The 

passion to develop a community camp grew 

from seeing youth lose their roots to the land, 

nature, and soil as Tyler was becoming a more 

urban area. Soon the effort involved almost 

the entire Smith County community. 

Chartered in 1945 as the Smith County Youth 

Foundation (SCYF), Camp Tyler was designed to 

serve all youth organizations and schools. When 

the father of outdoor education, L. B. Sharp 

of New York, was brought to Smith County to 

advise the SCYF, he said it was the first camp 

in the U.S. that was “specifically planned and 

built for year-round, community-school camp 

purposes.” Construction of the facilities was 

done cooperatively by and for the whole 

community. In the late 1940s the community 

raised $250,000 for the project. Much of the 

actual work was done by skilled craftsmen 

who worked at their jobs during the week and 

then built the camp on weekends and in the 

evenings. In 1948 the first youth groups began 

coming to Camp Tyler. 

During 1949 the first classes from the Tyler 

Schools started attending day programs. By 

1951, Dr. Mortimer Brown, then superintendent 

of Tyler Public Schools, wanted to make sure 

that every fifth and sixth grader in the Tyler 

schools could have an outdoor learning experience. 

He requested a contract with SCYF for 

exclusive use of the facilities during the school 

year. In return Tyler Schools would be responsible 

for all maintenance and utilities. This 

agreement provided not only a wonderful 

opportunity for school children, but also a 

great gift to the community as Camp Tyler was 

able to offer services for free to other organizations 

when Tyler Schools were not in session. 

A true gift to the community! 

In 1995, SCYF officially changed its name 

to the Camp Tyler Foundation (CTF) to more 

closely reflect its connection to the facility. 

The mission remained the same, though some 

of the populations had changed. In 2000, at 

the request of Tyler ISD, CTF began offering 

programs to other school districts with the goal 

of providing extra income to offset costs. By 

2008, TISD relinquished exclusivity, and Camp 

Tyler staff took over instructional programs. 

They began referring to Camp Tyler as Camp 

Tyler Outdoor School (CTOS) to distinguish 

themselves from local recreational camps. 

Today, CTOS continues to provide outdoor 

education in “the classroom without walls.” 

CTOS serves private and 

public schools through outdoor 

education programs aligned with 

recognized educational standards, 

such as Texas Essential 

Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). 

These school groups range in 

age from preschool through the 

college and university level. In 

addition, many different special 

needs, faith-based, and youth 

organizations utilize the facility 

throughout the year. 

Camp facilities are available 

to rent for clients who may be 

looking for a smaller location to 

host their camp. CTOS is also 

available to rent for a variety of 

activities including picnics, weddings, 

retreats, small or large 

events, and family reunions. 

CTOS has a strong community 

heritage since the late 

1940s. The memories and lessons 

are priceless and lasting. 

In the spring of 2013, the headmaster 

from Westlake Charter 

School said “You have it right! 

At the previous camp we 

attended, the thing the students remembered 

best was their time in the candy store. Here, 

what our students remember are aquatic 

studies, shelter building, team building, playing 

in the mud, and cooking on an open fire. 

This is how it should be done.” 

It is a place where everyone can learn 

through the process of discovery. Experience 

the Magic—Visit Camp Tyler! For more information 

visit www.camptyler.org. 

CAMP TYLER 

OUTDOOR 

SCHOOL 


109

GOLD LEAF 

GALLERY 

Above: Left to right, Debbie Shores and 

Traci Brevard. 

Tyler is a beautiful place to live. It only 

makes sense then, that the interiors of our 

homes and businesses be just as beautiful…and 

that is where Gold Leaf Gallery excels. Gold 

Leaf Gallery is a haven for the finest in custom 

framing, original paintings (local, national 

and international), limited edition prints, 

sculpture and works by 

Western Masters. They offer 

in-home or business design 

and consulting for art and 

framing. Gold Leaf Gallery 

is known for their custom 

television frames, with 

concealment options like 

mirrors or motorized art. 

At Gold Leaf Gallery, owners 

Debbie Shores and Traci 

Brevard, who also are sisters, 

care for every piece of 

art as if it were their own. 

Shores has been a custom framer since 

1988. She attended Arts Magnet High School 

and Art Institute of Dallas where she realized 

her love and talent in framing pictures. 

After getting a job at MJ Designs Corporate 

Headquarters, Michael James Dupey, of 

Michaels, saw Shores’ skill and trained her 

for more difficult specialty 

projects. Shores 

never stopped framing. 

In 2007, Shores walked 

into the Gold Leaf 

Gallery where Buster 

Barlow, who founded 

the gallery in 1974, 

hired her on the spot. Barlow was so 

impressed with her integrity and passion for 

framing, he told her he would one day like to 

sell her the shop. Two years later, Barlow sold 

the gallery to the sisters. 

Brevard, also a respected artist, was awarded 

the Nordan Fine Arts Scholarship to TCU 

in 1985, after graduating from Arts Magnet 

High School in Dallas. She has been in sales 

and management since graduating with a BBA 

from the University of North Texas. At Gold 

Leaf Gallery, Brevard enjoys combining her 

love for art and design with her love of sales. 

“As artists ourselves, we take the time to 

explore framing designs to create the BEST 

framing ensemble for each piece while sensitive 

to each customer’s budget. As picture framers, 

we look at art through our customer’s eyes, 

in order to interpret, extend and enhance 

their treasured art forms,” said Brevard. When 

Brevard and Shores bought the gallery in 2009, 

they decided to attribute their mission statement 

to their grandmother’s favorite saying, 

‘Do unto others as you would have them do 

unto you.’ Our customers become our friends. 

“Debbie and I come from a family of artists. 

Our mother, Barbara Holmes, greatly influenced 

us in design as an interior decorator 

in Dallas for many years before moving to 

Tyler. Our father, Worth Holmes, enjoys his 

retirement creating beautiful woodturnings 

and musical instruments. It runs in our 

blood,” says Brevard. “We thank God for our 

wonderful life here in Tyler. People bring us 

cherished pieces of art and we get to make 

them even more beautiful!” 


110

TRINITY 

MOTHER FRANCES 

HOSPITALS AND 

CLINICS 

Trinity Mother Frances is the region’s preferred 

healthcare provider with a proud tradition 

of over seventy-five years of dedicated 

service. As a national leader in patient satisfaction, 

advanced technology and quality initiatives, 

Trinity Mother Frances is a faith-based, 

not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating 

healthy lives for people and communities. 

Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics 

includes the Louis and Peaches Owen Heart 

Hospital; Mother Frances Hospitals Tyler, 

Jacksonville and Winnsboro; Trinity Mother 

Frances Rehabilitation Hospital, affiliated 

with HEALTHSOUTH; Tyler ContinueCARE 

Hospital, a long-term acute care facility; and 

Trinity Clinic. 

Trinity Mother Frances has a long and 

storied history that begins overseas. A Polish 

noblewoman, Frances Siedliska, who became 

the namesake of the hospital, founded the 

Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth 

in 1875. Known in religious life as Blessed 

Mary of Jesus the Good Shepherd, Mother 

Frances gathered together other young 

women to found an order, which spread 

quickly throughout the world. In 1885, 

Mother Frances traveled with eleven other 

Polish Sisters to Chicago, founding a hospital 

and schools in the Polish community there. 

The Sisters came to Texas in 1927 to teach in 

schools and care for the sick. 

In 1937, as America was struggling through 

the Great Depression, the Catholic order of 

the Sisters of The Holy Family of Nazareth 

were committed to bringing a modern hospital 

to Tyler. Mother Frances Hospital was 

scheduled to open on March 19, 1937, but 

was called on to open one day early to care for 

victims of the New London school disaster. 

Nearby, the staff of the Bryant Clinic, which 

later became Trinity Clinic, also responded to 

treat the injured. Almost 300 children, teachers 

and townspeople were killed by the blast 

and hundreds of the wounded were brought 

to Mother Frances Hospital Tyler for treatment. 

Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and 

Clinics was founded on the desire to provide 

the healthcare that the community around it 

needed, and that desire continues in every 

caregiver, clinic, and team member of Trinity 

Mother Frances today. 

Numerous expansions and additions have 

turned the once modest hospital and small 

clinic into Smith County’s largest employer 

and one of the highest rated integrated health 

systems in the United States. Trinity Mother 

Frances Hospitals and Clinics (TMFHC) 

employs over 4,000 and includes 6 hospitals 

and 36 clinics with over 330 physicians and 

mid-level providers located throughout the 

region. However, its mission has also stayed 

true to the founders, as a faith-based organization, 

it is the mission of Trinity Mother 

Frances to enhance community health 

through service with compassion, excellence, 

and efficiency. 


111

SMITH COUNTY 

CHAMPIONS FOR 

CHILDREN 


112 

Smith County Champions for Children is 

an organization dedicated to the uncomplicated 

idea that in order to succeed, 

through education, we must prepare our 

children to achieve their full potential. 

“In Smith County alone, approximately 

8,000 children spend an average of thirtysix 

hours a week in some type of childcare 

arrangement,” said Jackie Cannon, B.S.Ed., 

M.Ed., Executive Director of Smith County 

Champions for Children. “Studies have 

repeatedly shown that high quality childcare 

helps children enter school ready to 

learn. In 2015 we had 8,764 people attend 

trainings and provided specialized services 

to 448 kids. Through all programs, we 

affected 38,969 children.” 

Almost twenty years ago, a need was 

identified for quality childcare in Tyler—to 

provide the things that kids need when 

entering school, with the goal of moving 

daycare (currently seventy-six in Smith 

County) from babysitting to education. This 

is achieved through three distinct strategies. 

First, SCCC provides teachers and parents 

with the training they need, mentoring and 

coaching parents and teachers. The second 

part of SCCC’s approach is providing 

specialized services for children who need 

them through trained observation and the 

application of three national programs. The 

third portion is the supplying of dedicated 

resources for daycare teachers and involves a 

large lending library, dye-cuts, laminating, 

lesson plans and more. 

In 2012, Champions for Children moved 

into their current home, a 6,000-square-foot 

facility built for training teachers and serving 

children. There are two state-of-the-art training 

rooms equipped with projectors, sound 

system and tables/chairs. There is a resource 

room that houses all of the teaching supplies, 

a room devoted to children’s intervention 

and office space. SCCC has six full-time staff 

and several part-time employees to fulfill 

grants, and is governed by a board of eleven 

members. Two Child Development Specialists 

are adjunct Tyler Junior College instructors, 

and SCCC offers two CDA classes per year. 

SFCC are members of the Chamber of 

Commerce, the Association of Fundraising 

Professionals and consistently speak to 

organizations across East Texas. They are 

also helping to launch the Tyler Area 

Partnership for Education (TAP4E) through 

the business education department of the 

chamber. “We support Cradle to Career 

education,” said Cannon. “And we look for 

success there, by having an impact on a 

child. Before we see kids, the teacher does 

a checklist that identifies the behaviors we 

are looking to address. Success is where we 

have a significant positive impact on that 

behavior—as understood through evaluation 

and observations. Success is also what the 

teachers write on their follow-up surveys, 

and we have great reviews.”

HISTORIC 

TYLER, INC. 

So many of these remarkable structures 

found throughout Tyler’s historic districts 

would not be left standing without the 

crucial assistance of Historic Tyler, Inc., Since 

its founding in 1977, Historic Tyler, Inc., has 

promoted the preservation and appreciation 

of Tyler’s architectural and cultural historic 

resources through education, advocacy and 

committed action. Historic Tyler is dedicated 

to the preservation, revitalization and continued 

use of Tyler’s historic resources. 

The membership of Historic Tyler helps 

ensure that historic preservation has a voice in 

Tyler’s future economic and cultural development. 

Their mission is to promote the preservation 

and protection of historic structures 

and sites through education, involvement and 

public and private investment. 

Tyler’s heritage is disappearing. Landmarks 

such as the 1909 Smith County Courthouse, 

the Blackstone Hotel, the Fire Station have 

fallen to a wrecking ball or decayed from 

neglect. Preserving Tyler’s past for future 

generations is vital. 

The concerns that Historic Tyler addresses 

are shared by all Tylerites, not just those 

who live in older neighborhoods or who own 

historic properties. Urban revitalization and 

economic diversification, defense of neighborhood 

integrity and authenticity of place, 

preservation of green space and protection of 

historic resources are among the most critical 

issues Historic Tyler faces every year. 

After the Bicentennial, Americans became 

more aware of our history and began a surge 

of preservation. Through Historic Tyler, Inc., 

Tyler followed suit and sought to involve 

the public. Each year, Historic Tyler on Tour 

is a large fundraiser and hugely important 

event. During the Azalea Trail, several 

historic homes are open for public tours, 

offering a fascinating view into Tyler history. 

In addition to the annual Tour, Historic 

Tyler has undertaken a multiyear project to 

designate six distinct historical districts in 

Tyler, save several historically significant 

structures, including the 1880 Jail, the 

modern masterpiece of the PATH headquarters 

and have helped to add multiple homes and 

buildings to the National Registry of Historic 

Places. Current projects include the 

preservation and restoration of the Mayfair 

Building and the Oakwood Cemetery and the 

current survey of the Pollard Farm Area. 

Many notable Tylerites were key to the 

founding of Historic Tyler, Inc. Currently, 

they have a board of 26 and a membership 

just above 400. Historic Tyler, Inc. is 

incredibly important to not only the 

history of Tyler, but to its future. Tyler’s 

past is in its future’s hands. Their donations 

and support of Historic Tyler, Inc., allow 

them to pass long this wonderful heritage 

to future generations, and with their help 

Historic Tyler, Inc., can lay a cornerstone 

for tomorrow. 

Historic Tyler, Inc., welcomes you to stop 

by the office at 110 East Charnwood, Tyler; 

call 903-595-1960 or visit on the Internet at 

www.historictyler.org. 


113

OFFICE PRIDE 

OF EAST TEXAS 

David Stein. 


114 

Office Pride was opened in East Texas in 

2008, and lead to an additional Tyler franchise 

in May 2010. After years in corporate 

sales, owner David Stein was looking for 

something that kept him home a bit more, 

and something that matched his values and 

business sense. In the classic sense, Office 

Pride is an office cleaning company providing 

day and evening services but it offers a bit 

more. First, it is a faith-based organization. 

It is evident in the website, materials, mission 

statement and in their core values. The 

second piece is the strength of the business 

model; it is well-built, simple to understand 

and productive, and based on Biblical values. 

The official purpose of Office Pride is to 

provide quality commercial cleaning services 

that equip people to build profitable businesses 

that glorify God. The mission of Office Pride 

Commercial Cleaning Services is to honor and 

glorify God by building mutually beneficial 

relationships with customers, employees, 

vendors and franchisees and fulfilling our 

promise of providing top quality janitorial 

services through men and women committed 

to honesty, integrity and hard work. 

Stein believes that along with the values of 

Office Pride, they are able to set themselves 

apart from competitors with a specific process 

and way of serving customers—by executing 

well. Stein said that all the good intentions 

in the world do not matter unless you 

follow through by hiring correctly, training 

employees well and not quickly, setting clear 

expectations and following through with 

clients and individuals. Simply put, they look, 

act, and perform professionally. The growth 

of the organization bears that out. From just 

Stein in the beginning, Office Pride of East 

Texas now boasts 161 total employees, 10 in 

the office and about 150 who maintain the 

offices. There are more than 175 different customers 

based in Tyler and the surrounding 

areas. The smallest office they clean are just 

a few rooms, and the largest is fifteen floors 

and around 50,000 square feet. Office Pride of 

East Texas ranks at the very top of the area 

development standings across all Office Pride 

offices in the country, and at number two on 

the nationwide growth report. 

Members of the Office Pride team are 

involved throughout their communities, and 

that is embodied by Stein himself, who is a 

member of Rose Heights Church, has served 

on the board at United Way of Smith County 

for nine years, has been chair of the East Texas 

Center for Nonprofits, and much more—all 

in line with the company’s core values. 

The future of Office Pride looks wonderful! 

For information on Office Pride Commercial 

Cleaning Services, please visit their company 

website at www.commercialcleaningtyler.com.

Hamm’s Oilfield Goods and Services, LLC 

goes the extra mile to assist all types of clients 

in the oil and gas industry with one objective 

in mind. Improve their profitability. This 

objective is achieved by reducing customer 

costs, saving customers time and providing 

sterling customer service at all times. Hamm’s 

is committed to providing solutions across 

the globe while representing Christian values. 

Hamm’s Oilfield Goods continually works 

diligently to efficiently respond to customer’s 

ever changing needs. These goals are met by 

streamlining production processes, continuing 

to advance technologies in manufacturing 

and design, enhancement of productivity, 

optimizing supply chain solutions and 

offering quality products at competitive 

prices. Our goal is to offer the highest 

quality products at competitive prices with 

exceptional customer service. Our philosophy 

is simple—we view our customer relationships 

as a partnership. The better service 

and prices we can deliver, the better positioned 

our customers are to be profitable, 

efficient, and safe. At Hamm’s we believe it 

is the sum of our contributions that make 

us both successful. 

Hamm’s Oil Field Goods is an oilfield supply 

company specializing in high-pressure 

flow control products. Through an integrated 

capability, including our own manufacturing, 

private labeling, and superior sourcing abilities 

we are able to meet most purchasing 

needs. This affords our clientele a dependable 

vendor source for a large percentage of 

their purchasing requirements thus reducing 

their sourcing time, creation of purchase 

orders, etc., thereby saving them time and 

capital. This enables our customers to save 

money and time so they can focus on their 

core business. 

Hamm’s Oil Field Goods and Services is 

veteran owned and operated. We offer a 

wide range of products including but not 

limited to, figure 1502 flow iron, plug valves, 

rebuild kits, figure 1502 hammer union 

seals, pressure gauges, autoclave fittings, 

needle valves, gate valves, plug valves, choke 

stems and seats and much more. 

Our Pressure Up Iron Works division offers 

complete non-destructive testing services 

HAMM’S OILFIELD GOODS AND 

SERVICES, LLC 

(NDT). We have permanent testing facilities 

in Tyler and Madisonville, Texas. In addition, 

we offer mobile testing trailers for our 

customers’ convenience. Our Pressure Up 

Iron Works team is fully certified in visual 

testing, Ultrasonic testing, and magnetic 

particle testing. We also offer custom fabrication 

services including valve manifolds, 

separators, sand traps, monorails and more. 

In addition to NDT services and fabrication 

we also provide rebuild, refurbish and 

sandblast/paint services. Throughout we 

never forget that our contribution to safety 

management is literally a life and death reality 

in the field. We take this responsibility 

very seriously. 

Our company team includes President 

Derek Hamm; CEO Greg Conine; COO Jody 

O’Brien; Superintendent Dave Campbell; 

and Office Manager Liz Matthei. Our NDT 

specialists include Joel Green, field superintendent, 

Chris Bolton, field manager and 

Todd Livingston, warehouse manager. 

Hamm’s Oil Field Goods is a proud 

member of the Texas Oil & Gas Association, 

Louisiana Oil & Gas Association; Colorado 

Oil & Gas Association; the Veteran owned 

small business program and Energy Nation. 

Our headquarters is located in Tyler, 

Texas, at 13017 Kallan Avenue. Additional 

information is available on our website at 

www.hammsoilfieldgoodsonline.com or by 

calling 903-707-2199. 


115

EXPRESS EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONALS 

In a thriving business climate like Tyler, 

there is always a need for additions to a 

qualified, skilled, and experienced workforce. 

Express Employment Professionals 

exists to connect companies with the employees 

they need to meet production needs and 

help build careers. 

Express Employment Professionals is the 

leading staffing company in East Texas. 

The Tyler Express office is part of an internationally 

franchised company that employs 

more than 500,000 people through its 

network of more than 760 franchise locations 

in the U.S., Canada and South Africa. EEP’s 

vision is to help as many people as possible 

find good jobs by helping as many clients 

as possible find good people. Its long-term 

goal is to put a million people to work 

annually. The Tyler Express office opened in 

1995 and during its first twenty years, the 

company has worked with more than 1,500 

local companies to meet their staffing needs. 

The Tyler office has been among the 

best performing and highest rated in the 

Express franchise system for two decades, 

having been honored as an Express Circle 

of Excellence office every year since 1998 

for outstanding sales. Additionally, the office 

has been included in the prestigious Express 

Chairman’s Club, recognizing the top ten 

franchisees out of more than 760 offices for 

many consecutive years. 

“Express helps companies recruit, screen 

and select employees. Our areas of expertise 

include administrative, light industrial, skilled 

trades, accounting, medical office, information 

technology, engineering and finance,” 

said Rocky Gill, Tyler franchisee. “We are 

here to help people find jobs. By providing 

hope through a job, we view our work with 

Express with a servant heart.” 

Owned by Rocky and Carrie Gill, the 

company currently has more than twenty 

employees to serve the Tyler business community. 

The Gills have served on the boards 

of various organizations in Tyler including 

East Texas Medical Center Foundation, East 

Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare 

System, Junior Achievement, Children’s Village, 

Rose City Kiwanis, Tyler Area Chamber of 

Commerce, Tyler Economic Development 

Council, Tyler YMCA, Better Business Bureau, 

Workforce Solutions East Texas, and United 

Way of Tyler/Smith County. Most recently, their 

charitable focus has included orphaned 

children through their service with Hope For 

100, a program the Gills initiated in their 

church, Green Acres Baptist Church, in which 

more than 200 children have been placed 

into Christian homes. 


116

Youth With A Mission is an international and 

interdenominational volunteer movement of 

Christians dedicated to serving Jesus Christ in 

the U.S. and throughout the world. YWAM (pronounced 

“WHY-wham”) missionaries work in 

more than 1,100 locations in over 180 countries, 

with a full-time staff exceeding 18,000. YWAM 

missionaries unite with the common purpose: 

“to know God and to make Him known.” 

Loren and Darlene Cunningham founded 

YWAM in 1960 when they began taking college 

students on short mission trips to Mexico and 

the Caribbean. Pastors Leland and Fran Paris 

have been involved with YWAM since 1968. 

YWAM Tyler purchased the 365-acre Twin 

Oaks Ranch in Lindale, Texas, in 1980 from 

David Wilkerson for a very low cost, which 

was like a gift compared to its value. Twin 

Oaks Ranch in East Texas formed the headquarters 

for YWAM Tyler training and mission 

programs. For more than thirty-five years, 

thousands of people have received their 

mission training at the ranch and engaged in 

global missions. Originating from right here 

in East Texas over 200 ministry locations have 

been started throughout the world. YWAM 

Tyler offers Christian training and educational 

courses designed to equip believers for a 

lifetime of effective service in everything from 

evangelism to medical missions; agriculture 

to linguistics and cross-cultural ministry. 

YWAM Tyler has five other local sites that 

include Living Alternatives in Lindale, which 

operates FatherHeart maternity home; Christian 

Heritage School in Tyler; Building Blocks, an 

earn-while-you-learn training program for new 

parents in Tyler; Pregnancy Center; and School 

of New Beginnings in Van. The organization 

also operates Loving Alternative, an adoption 

ministry; Forthe1, a foster care program; a 

charter school for girls wanting to continue their 

education while pregnant; Keeps Boutique, a 

ministry to teen girls in the foster care system; 

and The Journey Coffee House in Lindale. 

MercyWorks, YWAM Tyler’s medical and 

relief arm regularly organizes and sends teams 

comprised of missionary staff and volunteers, 

including those from the healthcare industry 

to provide basic healthcare, surgeries, medicine 

and dentistry for refugees and people in impoverished 

countries like Bangladesh and Sudan. 

The Agricultural Technologies ministry 

(Ag Tech) prepares short-term and long-term 

missionaries in agricultural development and 

animal husbandry to offer assistance to those 

living in the developing world. 

Training courses are credited with many 

universities around the nation. Students are 

trained in evangelism, Bible training, missions 

applications such as agriculture, medical 

missions, worship, teaching, and preparation 

for majority-world missions. YWAM Tyler 

also has a K-12 Christian school, Christian 

Heritage School, along with a teacher’s 

training program in Tyler, Texas. Trained 

teachers have been sent to more than 

forty-five nations and K-12 Christian schools 

have been started in many nations as well. 

Along with the more than 200 ministry 

locations that were started internationally, 

YWAM Tyler has pioneered the following U.S. 

satellite locations: New Orleans, Louisiana; 

Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Alamogordo, New 

Mexico; West Palm Beach, Florida; and Keyser, 

West Virginia. These locations minister to 

unwed mothers, prostitutes, individuals suffering 

from addictions, high school students, 

refugees, and more. 

For more information about YWAM Tyler, 

visit the Internet at www.ywamtyler.org. 

YWAM Tyler is a 501(c)3 nonprofit accredited 

by the ECFA, Evangelical Council for Financial 

Accountability. All contributions are used to 

fund the local YWAM Tyler endeavors. 

YOUTH WITH 

A MISSION 

Above: YWAM Tyler trains hundreds of 

students each year. 

Below: Students in Bolivia. 

Bottom: YWAM Tyler at Lindale property. 


117

REGIONS BANK 

Regions Financial Corporation traces its 

roots to the nineteenth century and three 

Alabama-based banks—First National Bank 

of Huntsville, First National Bank of 

Montgomery and the Exchange Security Bank 

of Birmingham. The banks remained in businesses 

through the Great Depression. First 

National Bank of Montgomery did not miss a 

single dividend during this time—a distinction 

only a few banks in the country earned. 

In 1970 the banks merged with First 

Alabama Bancshares Inc. to form the first 

multibank holding company in Alabama. The 

next year, the holding company began operations 

with forty locations in Birmingham, 

Huntsville and Montgomery. In 1985, First 

Alabama Bancshares’ Birmingham, Montgomery 

and Huntsville banks merged to form First 

Alabama Bank. In 1987 the first out-of-state 

bank was established in Milton, Florida, and 

Regions expanded to Georgia, Tennessee, 

Louisiana, South Carolina, Arkansas and 

Texas shortly thereafter. 

In 1987, Regions became the first Alabama 

bank to offer customers direct access to their 

account information via a computerized telephone 

inquiry service, and telephone banking 

continues to be a convenience to customers 

to this day. In 1994, First Alabama became 

Regions Financial Corp. First National Bank 

of Gainesville, Georgia, joined in 1996 and, 

two years later, Regions acquired First 

Commercial in Little Rock. In 2000, Regions 

acquired Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc. and in 

2004 created Regions Insurance Group Inc., 

the corporate structure for all the company’s 

insurance-related subsidies. That same year, 

Regions became a regional force in the financial 

services industry when it merged with 

Memphis-based Union Planters, allowing 

Regions to expand its footprint to sixteen 

states in the South, Midwest and Texas and 

becoming one of the top fifteen banks in 

the nation. 

In 2006, Regions merged with AmSouth, 

another significant Birmingham-based bank. 

In April 2012, Regions completed the sale of 

Morgan Keegan to Raymond James Financial, 

resulting in proceeds of $1.2 billion for Regions. 

Today, President and CEO Grayson Hall 

heads Regions as one the nation’s leading 

banks. Regions 23,000-plus associates are 

committed to making life better for their 

customers and communities and creating 

shared value in helping them meet their 

financial goals and aspirations. This is 

accomplished through offering competitive 

financial products, superior service and trusted 

financial advice. 

Regions aims to be the premiere regional 

financial institution in America by being 

deeply embedded in its communities, operating 

as a team with the highest integrity, 

providing unique and extraordinary service 

to its customers, and offering its associates 

unparalleled opportunities for professional 

growth. It operates according to five core 

values: Putting people first, doing what is 

right, focusing on the customer, reaching 

higher and enjoying life. 

For more information on Regions Bank, 

visit its website at www.regionsbank.com. 


118

All Natural Stone & Grass is a family owned 

and operated business that is the leading 

supplier of quality landscape materials and 

the largest sod retailer in East Texas. With 

more than fifty years of experience, the 

company has the knowledge, skills, and 

products necessary to assist every customer, 

from the average homeowner maintaining 

one yard to professional landscapers and 

homebuilders managing multiple projects. 

Any products that are not readily available 

can be ordered; if the company does not carry 

it, they will ensure the customer gets it. 

ALL NATURAL 

STONE &GRASS 

As its name implies, All Natural Stone & 

Grass stocks a variety of sod and a plethora 

of natural stone and manmade materials. 

The company has the freshest grass in 

Texas. Varieties available include Centipede; 

Zoysia including Cavalier, El Torro, Emerald, 

Empire, Crown, Cutless, and Palisades; 

Celebration and Tiff Bermuda; Palmetto and 

Raleigh St. Augustine. 

All Natural Stone & Grass carries building 

stone of every size, shape, and color for 

retaining walls, houses, and fireplaces. 

Flagstone, including Arizona classic oak, is 

available for patios, floors, pool decks, and 

walkways. Boulders in a variety of sizes 

and shapes also are available for use as 

accents in landscaping or for building walls, 

waterfalls, ponds, and streams. Whether 

the stone variety sought is Oklahoma mini 

boulders, Colorado creek, or thin veneer 

natural stone products that eliminate weight 

and space limitations, All Natural Stone & 

Grass can help each and every customer find 

the material or materials best suited for the 

job at hand—no matter how big or small. 

In addition to stone and grass, the company 

offers products such as pine bark, topsoil, 

firewood, sand, gravel, and an assortment of 

accessories. All Natural Stone & Grass is also 

an authorized dealer of Pavestone products. 

All Natural Stone & Grass can supply 

customers with a qualified contractor to 

perform installation and/or maintenance of 

its products. For the do-it-yourselfer or 

customer who prefers to browse online 

before making any purchases, the company’s 

website, www.wesellgrass.com, offers links to 

manuals and installation instructions pertaining 

to several products it sells, a materials 

calculator, as well as a comprehensive list 

and photos of all products offered. All 

Natural Stone & Grass hopes to provide 

all the information and tools each customer 

needs to prepare and get the job done right, 

and at an affordable price. 

All Natural Stone & Grass is a member of 

the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, Tyler 

Area Builders Association (TABA), and Texas 

Nursery & Landscape Association (TNLA). 

For more information on All Natural 

Stone & Grass, call 903-581-8868 or stop 

by their convenient Tyler location at 

12670 Highway 155 South. The company 

can also be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AllNaturalStoneGrass, 

or Houzz at 

www.houzz.com/pro/sodfather67/all-naturalstone-grass-inc. 


119

MARVIN UNITED 

METHODIST 

CHURCH 


120 

Marvin United Methodist Church was 

founded in Tyler in 1848, when all Christian 

denominations convened at the courthouse in 

the city’s square. The Methodists, later known 

as Marvin United Methodist Church, began 

meeting in a blacksmith’s shop and became the 

first organized denomination in Smith County. 

In 1890 a need for a new meeting place 

coincided with a city-wide revival led by 

Evangelist Sam P. Jones. From that spiritual 

renewal came the building of the magnificent 

sanctuary that continues to serve Marvin 

United Methodist to this day. For 

more than a century, its spires 

have dominated the Tyler skyline. 

Marvin Church offers an 

unparalleled music program, varied 

and numerous opportunities 

for spiritual growth and superb 

children’s and youth programming. 

Each week, the church 

gathers in the historic sanctuary 

for two traditional worship services 

rich in liturgy and complemented 

with the music of the beautiful pipe 

organ. Two contemporary services are also 

held each week in the newly-renovated Herd 

Worship Center. These services embrace worship 

trends with powerful music, relevant 

media, authentic teaching, and heartfelt 

praise and worship. A casual acoustic service 

is also offered each Sunday wherein worshipers 

gather in the sanctuary for intimate, 

interactive worship. 

The church has a fascinating history. In the 

1890s, banks failed and many church members 

were financially strapped. In 1897 the 

church could not even pay the interest on its 

$8,000 loan on the sanctuary, which was in 

danger of being sold for nonpayment. Pastor 

Greathouse appointed a committee to find 

another place for Marvin’s members to worship. 

At the committee’s suggestion, prayer 

and fasting began in the sanctuary at 8 a.m. 

and continued for two days, at which point 

the committee felt those prayers were 

answered and the church would be saved. On 

January 4, 1898, Kettie L. Douglas, who was 

not a Methodist, bought the finest Methodist 

sanctuary in Texas for $9,500. She rented the 

sanctuary to the congregation on easy terms 

until they paid her back and regained legal 

ownership in 1901. 

Marvin’s mission is to “call, equip, and 

send.” The church calls people to an active 

relationship with Christ, equips them to be 

passionate disciples, and sends them to share 

the gospel through word and deed. Marvin’s 

members support missionaries throughout 

the world, while also actively serving through 

the church’s outreach ministries and forty-two 

mission partners. Every year during Mission 

Week, members spend a week working on 

repairs and remodeling projects in East Texas. 

A recent project entailed adding a bedroom 

and bathroom to a tiny home where nine people 

lived in one bedroom and one bathroom. 

Marvin United Methodist, once known as 

the Cathedral of the West, celebrated 125 years 

in its historic sanctuary in 2015. The church 

is vital and healthy today, working to advance 

the Kingdom of Christ in Tyler and East Texas. 

The church is located at 300 West Erwin in 

Tyler. For more information, visit Marvin’s 

website at www.marvinumc.com.

Allegiance Specialty Hospital is a licensed 

sixty bed hospital in Kilgore that specializes 

in medical acute care and behavioral 

healthcare. In addition to providing ongoing 

community education about mental health, 

Allegiance Hospital is nationally recognized 

and accredited by DNV for meeting high 

standards in healthcare. 

Allegiance offers inpatient and outpatient 

psychiatric care for older adults. Inspirations 

is a physician-supervised program that 

provides counseling services during the 

day and a warm, delicious lunch, allowing 

patients to return home that afternoon. 

Allegiance’s inpatient psychiatric program 

is for patients who need twenty-four hour 

hospitalization. This treatment program 

offers crisis intervention, psychiatric and 

medication stabilization, grief work, coping 

skills, anxiety and depression education, 

cognitive therapy, spiritual care, stress 

management, problem-solving and communication 

techniques, assistance with 

life transitions, health education, and 

early dementia work. Personalized treatment 

is available for depression, anxiety, 

bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and other 

mental health issues, an acute care unit 

addresses the needs of patients who 

require a high level of nursing care or 

crisis intervention. 

Inpatient care includes one call to access 

services twenty-four hours a day, seven days 

a week; free onsite pre-assessments with 

appropriate referrals to community resources; 

twenty-four hour nursing service; rapid 

stabilization and effective transitions to 

home and community; a timely and efficient 

intake and admission process; medication 

management and education; a psychiatrist 

and a master level clinician assigned to each 

patient; weekly treatment team meetings 

with patient, family, physician, and healthcare 

team; group and family therapy; patient 

psychoeducation groups; recreational, exercise, 

and music therapy; a multidisciplinary 

team treatment approach; nutritional consultations 

and counseling/education; and case 

management and discharge planning that 

actively engages the patient and his or 

her family. 

ALLEGIANCE SPECIALTY HOSPITAL 

Allegiance has provided behavioral health 

services in the area since 2002 and in 2007 

purchased the hospital, formerly known as Laird 

Memorial, and began focusing on providing 

medical and behavioral health services for older 

adults. Allegiance Specialty hospital is also home 

to an adult crisis stabilization unit as well as an 

emergency department open twenty-four hours 

a day, seven days a week. 

Allegiance has 118 employees with a 

financial impact to the city of Kilgore of 

millions in annual payroll. Allegiance Hospital 

has partnered with the nursing programs of 

Kilgore College, UT Tyler, Panola Junior 

College, and UT Arlington, whose nursing 

students rotate through Allegiance Hospital as 

part of their training. Kilgore College Health 

Sciences Center, faculty offices and clinical 

training areas are based at the hospital as well. 

The hospital receives thousands of referrals 

from the entire state of Texas and surrounding 

states and has treated more than 100 patients 

daily in its outpatient programs in Tyler, 

Marshall, and Kilgore. More than fifty percent 

of Allegiance’s patients live outside Gregg 

County, and their families utilized Kilgore’s 

hotels, restaurants, and stores. 

Allegiance Specialty Hospital is located at 

1612 South Henderson Boulevard. For more 

information, please visit the hospital’s 

website at www.ashkilgore.com. 


121

TYLER 

INDEPENDENT 

SCHOOL DISTRICT 

FOUNDATION 

The Tyler Independent School District 

Foundation was founded to support and 

encourage the district’s public schools, including 

its teachers, students, staff, administrators, 

and family members. Its work is simple: to 

seek funds and grant them to others. Through 

its efforts and exemplary programs, the foundation 

serves as a catalyst for uniting schools 

and the community, and provides resources to 

inspire learning, enrich teaching, and enhance 

opportunities for the district’s students. 

Tyler ISD Foundation was incorporated 

in 1990 as a response to the local need for 

increased community involvement in and 

support for public education. The foundation 

is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that 

works closely with the school district but 

serves as an independent entity. No tax 

dollars are utilized in fulfilling the mission 

of the Tyler ISD Foundation. 

The foundation seeks funds through general 

donations and fundraising events. These 

activities include an annual campaign wherein 

funds are solicited from area businesses, 

philanthropists, alumni, parents, faculty, and 

staff who believe in assisting the public school 

system; grant writing; and appeals to a broad 

spectrum of the community, including area 

organizations, foundations, businesses, professionals 

in both corporate and civic sectors, 

Tyler ISD alumni, parents, and personnel 

who are in support of the teachers, staff, and 

others who work within the school district. 

The foundation also annually hosts A Night 

of Shining Stars, an academic recognition event 

that honors the top twenty graduates and 

National Merit Scholars from John Tyler 

and Robert E. Lee High Schools, as well as 

the teachers who positively influenced their 

academic journeys. A Night of Shining Stars has 

become a yearly social highlight for Tyler ISD’s 

schools and community. Tyler ISD Foundation 

then grants the funds it collects through competitive 

grants to teachers, teams of teachers, 

campuses, or the district to help the foundation 

meet its mission; the district to meet objectives; 

the campus to meet its campus plan; and the 

student to achieve optimal learning. 

Tyler ISD Foundation is guided by a 

board of directors and staff members. The 

board includes: Debbie Matteucci, president; 

Dr. Gary Gross, president elect; Tab Beall, vice 

president of finance and governance; Suzette 

Farr, co-vice president of marketing and 

events; Lynette Birdsong, co-chairperson of 

marketing and events; Brenda Stratton, vice 

president of development; Adam Morrow, vice 

president of volunteer management; Eleno 

Licea, director at large; Daniel Montgomery, 

CPA; Darlene Marshall, Leslie Strader, Randy 

Grooms, Rebecca Ballard, Sherri Canton, 

Kim Farrell; Dawn Parnell, ex-officio; Angela 

Duitch, ex-officio; Dr. Marty Crawford, superintendent 

and ex-officio. 

Tyler ISD Foundation is located at 807 

West Glenwood Boulevard in Tyler. For more 

information, visit the foundation’s website at 

www.foundation.tylerisd.org. 


122

TYLER 

INDEPENDENT 

SCHOOL 

DISTRICT 

In 1876, the people of Tyler, realizing their 

educational needs, formed a stock company 

and constructed a building on the present 

John Tyler High School site. Here the East 

Texas University was organized as a military 

school and was conducted by Professor 

G. W. Norwood of Mississippi for three years. 

In 1879, Honorable Cone Johnson, a lawyer 

in Tyler, and two other gentlemen, took charge 

of the school. The military feature was soon 

discontinued and in early 1882, an election 

was held to determine whether or not a tax 

for public school purposes should be levied. 

The election passed, and the board of trustees 

and the Tyler Public School system was 

inaugurated. Percy V. Pennybaker was the first 

superintendent elected. By the early 1900s 

several elementary schools and a high school 

were built. In 1924 a building to house all 

junior high school students was erected on the 

high school campus. This building, to a great 

extent, housed students attending Tyler Junior 

College from its organization in 1926 until 

it was moved to the new location in 1948. 

Tyler ISD currently educates over 18,000 

students. As the largest school district in 

Northeast Texas, Tyler ISD encompasses 193 

square miles and maintains a total of thirtyone 

campus and auxiliary facilities. Tyler ISD 

continues to focus on bringing twentyfirst 

century learning to all of its 18,000 

students through the addition of new 

facilities and programs. During the 2015-16 

school year, the District opened two new 

buildings, the Career and Technology Center 

and Three Lakes Middle School, as well as 

new campuses for Boulter Middle School and 

Moore MST Magnet School. 

Tyler ISD believes each student should 

learn in a safe, secure, and positive learning 

environment that strives for citizenship, 

career, college and life-readiness. Tyler ISD 

possesses expanding and innovative educational 

opportunities that support a variety 

of learning preferences and is committed to 

continue working for each student to have 

access to a unique educational experience. 

Community partnerships are a primary 

focus for Tyler ISD. Through these partnerships, 

Tyler ISD students benefit in countless 

ways, both inside and outside of the 

classroom. The district participates and/or 

collaborates with city events such as Turn 

Tyler Pink, #SchoolisCool and more! Over 

seventy community and business partnerships 

throughout Tyler help our students succeed in 

reaching their educational and career goals, 

and instruct the students of the Tyler area in 

the values of philanthropy and benevolent 

commerce in order to develop the students of 

today into East Texas’ leaders of tomorrow. 


123

CAVENDER’S 

The Cavender family. 


124 

Based in Tyler, Texas, Cavender’s is a family-owned 

and operated specialty retailer of 

western and work wear, apparel, accessories 

and boots. Cavender’s is more than just the 

name of a store; however, it is the name of 

a family that, for more than fifty years, 

has earned a reputation for creating quality 

men and women’s apparel with an authentic, 

“ranch-tested” style. Since 1965 the brand 

has steadily mushroomed throughout the 

United States with more than seventy-two 

locations in eight states. 

In 1957, Oklahoma native James R. 

Cavender opened a burger joint in Texas. 

When he grew tired of dipping ice cream 

and flipping hamburgers, he opened a 

clothing store, Cavender & Smith’s, and 

bought out his partner a year later. Cavender 

& Smith’s was renamed Cavender’s. By the 

mid-1970s, there were five Cavender’s stores, 

and by 1981, when the store became the 

hot spot for cowboy boots in East Texas, 

the name was changed to Cavender’s Boot 

City. Today, retailers located outside Texas 

are known as Cavender’s Western Outfitter. 

In 1983, Cavender’s began its trek across 

the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, and in 

1986 it opened the first of eleven Houston 

stores. Forty-eight of its stores are scattered 

throughout Texas, with additional locations 

in Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, 

Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico. 

The Cavender family lives the western 

lifestyle, operating five working ranches 

throughout Texas. James’ eldest son, Joe, 

serves as president of the company. His 

brothers, Mike and Clay, are also involved 

with Mike in charge of site selection, and 

Clay overseeing store design and merchandising. 

James remains active and involved in 

the company and is often heard offering 

advice at the Cavender’s headquarters in 

Tyler. James’ wife, Pat, still decorates all new 

and remodeled stores, ensuring that customers 

experience the signature 

western style at each location. 

The Cavenders credit their company’s 

success to the dedication 

and loyalty of their associates, 

who are like family. 

Cavender’s values each and 

every one of its customers. James 

himself said it best: “Take care of 

the customer, and everything else 

will take care of itself.” Customers 

have reciprocated with decades of 

loyalty, which has allowed the 

company to support worthwhile 

charities and events. Cavender’s 

Community Involvement Program 

helps the communities that are 

home to our stores. With this 

program, Cavender’s is able to 

give to rodeos, organizations that support 

the western lifestyle, and ranching and 

agriculture education; support organizations 

and events working to eradicate cancer and 

assisting those fighting the disease; provide 

support for charities that help abused 

children; and donate to events and organizations 

for individuals struggling with tragedy 

and loss. 

Cavender’s is located in Tyler, Texas. The 

merchandising, marketing and web departments 

are located inside the Cavender’s loop 

retail store. The finance and accounting 

departments are located on South Broadway. 

The distribution center is located on Hays 

Street in Tyler, and the IT/POS department 

and operations department are located in 

Whitehouse. For more information about 

Cavender’s or its locations, please visit the 

company’s website at www.cavenders.com.

DONNA CUMMINGS PHOTOGRAPHY 

Donna started photographing children, 

brides and weddings in 2003 after graduating 

from the University of Texas at Tyler, where she 

has received the honor of distinguished alumni. 

As her bridal clients began growing their 

families, her photography business evolved 

into a full service portrait studio in south Tyler. 

As a certified PPA professional photographer, 

Donna leads her team of five photographers in 

providing East Texas with a variety of photography 

services. Donna Cummings Photography 

captures the memories and moments of Tyler’s 

babies, families, weddings, as well as corporate 

head shots, commercial projects and events. 

“Our studio strives to capture the beautiful 

moments of our clients and then showcase 

their memories with products that decorate 

their homes and become treasured heirlooms 

for their families.” says Cummings. 

Our studio is located in Tyler, Texas. 

Please contact us today at 903-266-9000 or 

visit www.donnacummings.com. 

Top, right: Left to right, Amanda Ratliff, 

Donna Cummings, Amanda Bray and 

Kaylyn Bergfeld. 


125

About the Photographer 

D ONNA C UMMINGS 

Donna started photographing children, brides and weddings 

in 2003 after graduating from the University of Texas at Tyler, 

where she has received the honor of distinguished alumni. 

As her bridal clients began growing their families, her 

photography business evolved into a full service portrait studio 

in south Tyler. 

As a certified PPA professional photographer, Donna leads 

her team of five photographers in providing East Texas with a 

variety of photography services. Donna Cummings Photography 

captures the memories and moments of Tyler’s babies, families, 

weddings, as well as corporate head shots, commercial projects and events. 

“Our studio strives to capture the beautiful moments of our clients and then showcase their 

memories with products that decorate their homes and become treasured heirlooms for their 

families.” says Cummings. 


126

About the Author 

W ILLIAM K NOUS 

William Knous was born in Tyler and raised in East Texas. 

He has a degree in journalism from Texas A&M University 

in 2004. From 2005 until 2013, Knous served as a writer, 

photographer and editor for BSCENE Magazine and H3 Media. 

Knous left publishing to form wk press, a editorial/design/ 

public relations firm serving individuals, businesses and 

philanthropic clients across Texas. While still operating 

wk press, Knous is now employed full-time by CHRISTUS 

Trinity Mother Frances Health System as public information 

officer and manager of internal communication. Knous is a 

passionate reader, writer and follower of Liverpool Football Club. He lives in Tyler with his wife, 

Whitney, and their three dogs, Maddie, Lucy and Bo. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

127

Sponsors 


128 

All Natural Stone & Glass.......................................................................119 

Allegiance Specialty Hospital ..................................................................121 

Austin Bank ............................................................................................103 

Better Business Bureau ............................................................................108 

Camp Fannin Association, Inc. .................................................................98 

Camp Ford Historical Association, Inc. 

East Texas Heritage Museum Association ............................................96 

Camp Tyler Outdoor School ...................................................................109 

Cavender’s...............................................................................................124 

Donna Cummings Photography..............................................................125 

East Texas Brick Company......................................................................101 

East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System ............................74 

Express Employment Professionals .........................................................116 

FirstChoice Cooperative..........................................................................100 

Gold Leaf Gallery....................................................................................110 

Hamm’s Oilfield Goods and Services, LLC..............................................115 

Henry & Peters, P.C. ...............................................................................104 

Historic Tyler, Inc....................................................................................113 

Jose Feliciano, Jr. 

Feliciano Financial Group ...................................................................82 

Junior League of Tyler, Inc. .......................................................................90 

Marvin United Methodist Church ...........................................................120 

Office Pride of East Texas........................................................................114 

Prothro, Wilhelmi & Company, PLLC.....................................................107 

Regions Bank ..........................................................................................118 

Smith County Champions for Children ..................................................112 

Texas College ..........................................................................................106 

The Pamela Walters Group .......................................................................78 

The University of Texas at Tyler ..............................................................105 

Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics .........................................111 

Turtle Island Stand Up Paddleboarding.....................................................92 

Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce ..........................................................102 

Tyler Home Mortgage................................................................................81 

Tyler Independent School District...........................................................123 

Tyler Independent School District Foundation........................................122 

Tyler Junior College ..................................................................................99 

UT Health Northeast.................................................................................86 

Vasso & Associates....................................................................................94 

Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC........................................................................88 

Youth With A Mission.............................................................................117

LEADERSHIP SPONSORS 

ISBN: 978-1-944891-17-6

Tyler: A Natural Beauty

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?